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Annual net migration to the UK has fallen by more than 100,000 since the Brexit vote, official figures showed today.

The Office for National Statistics nevertheless reveal that 230,000 more people arrived than departed in the 12 months to the end of June this year.

That compares with the record total of 336,000 a year ago and means that net migration has dropped by about a third in the year since the Brexit referendum.

Most of the fall is the result of a decline in the net migration from the EU which has dropped by 82,000 in the past year.

But the statisticians emphasised that there were still more Europeans coming to the UK than leaving with overall net migration from the EU still totalling 107,000.

Nicola White, the Office for National Statistics head of migration figures, said the Brexit vote appeared to be having some impact on net migration with the number of EU nationals coming to Britain declining over the past 12 months and a smaller rise in departures.

But she said that it was too early to say whether there would be a lasting effect.

She added: “Three quarters of the fall in net migration was due to EU citizens.

“These changes suggest that Brexit is likely to be a factor in people’s decision to move t or from the UK - but decisions to migrate are complex and other factors are also going to be influencing the figures.

“But more EU citizens are still coming to the UK than leaving, showing EU net migration is adding to the UK population.”

A detailed breakdown of today’s figures shows the EU net migration total of 107,000 was made up of 230,000 arrivals during the year and 123,000 departures.

Net migration from outside the EU was 173,000, representing 263,000 arrivals against 90,000 leaving.

The majority of the arrivals were from Asian countries.

The overall net migration figure of 230,000 is still more than double the government’s target of below 100,000.