I NEVER expected to see a headline like "Foreign benefit scroungers" in The Northern Echo, least of all on an article by Harry Mead (Echo, Nov 23). Mr Mead speaks of a "virtual torrent" of immigrants, the majority of whom are "almost certainly" drawn by the "generosity of our benefits system."

Where is his evidence for these inflammatory remarks? Most immigrants come here to work, not to scrounge. This is borne out by a recent report from the Office for National Statistics, which showed that immigrants generally claim less in state benefits than their British-born counterparts.

Even asylum-seekers (who constitute a small minority of immigrants) would like to work, but are not allowed to and have to live on a reduced rate of benefit. Many end up homeless and destitute.

Overall, immigrants contribute far more in taxes than they take in benefits, and business leaders have warned that further restrictions on immigration would threaten Britain's eventual economic recovery.

As for "torrents" of immigrants, Mr Mead should know that immigration levels have actually remained stable since 2004. The current record level of net migration is due to a sharp drop in numbers emigrating.

Pete Winstanley,

Durham.