With statistics showing more foreign nationals than ever before being granted permission to work in the UK, Beverley Hughes has said Labour's immigration reforms have not created a "Fortress Britain".

The immigration minister's comments came as the Home Office published the latest figures on the control of immigration.

They show that 108,825 work permit holders and their dependants were admitted in 2001, a rise of 19 per cent on 2000.

Other figures also revealed that more students came to the UK in 2001 than the previous year.

A total of 339,000 students were admitted last year, eight per cent more than in 2000.

"These statistics should help dispel the myth of a Fortress Britain," said Hughes.

She argued that they proved the effectiveness of the UK's "modernised and streamlined" work permits system.

"The system plays an important part in managed migration and serves the needs of business and the wider economy well by contributing vital skills and labour," she said.

"We want to make it clear that this government greatly values legal economic migration. We are putting in place an effective managed migration programme which will continue to create economic migration routes to allow more people to come and work here legally in ways which boost our economy."

The government's clampdown on asylum contributed to an 11 per cent fall in asylum applications - with 71,365 people (excluding dependents) seeking the right to stay in the UK.

And there was a five per cent rise in the number of people leaving the UK, either voluntary or compulsory.

A total of 49,135 people left the country, including 9285 asylum seekers, in 2001.

The minister pledged to "clamp down even harder on abuses such as clandestine entry, illegal working and unfounded claims" with the measures included in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill.