Despite some Poles quitting Britain now, they will return as soon as there is economic recovery, said Wiktor Moszczynski, sectretary of the Labour Party's Friends of Poland group.

Speaking on George Matlock's London Bridge show on Radio ORLA Moszczynski said: "I think that Poles will return in an economic recovery but there are now more places for them to go to work. Belgium is just opening up its labour market this year. Also, the UK is not expected to recover as fast as other European countries.

"The important thing is that those who stay in the UK are able to regain their jobs if they lose them. But yes, Britain will continue to offer an advantage as a particularly tolerant market for them," said Moszczynski.

The situation for jobs is not uniform around the UK, however.

Job vacancies shrank by 59 percent in Bristol last year, and by 45 percent in Hull, according to a Centre for Cities survey. In January there were 22 people on state support for every vacancy in Hull, and five for every vacancy in Bristol. That means the situation is more desperate for jobs in Hull. Yet neither of the two cities has reported any exit by migrant workers.

"That is surprising because it suggests that everyone is saying Poles are returning home from Britain, except where they live," said Moszczynski.

The survey showed that in Hull there are two labour markets, where migrants are in one and other workers in the other. Migrant workers are chanelled into one of the labour markets which employs east Europeans in only a few industries. Meanwhile, in Bristol there is one labour market where east Europeans are employed in wide selection of industries and they will be competing increasingly for jobs.

"The survey suggests that Hull needs to open up its labour market far more if its economy is to prosper," said Moszczynski. "Both cities have problems, but Hull's are long-term. Bristol will survive because it doesn't have this Apartheid in its economy."

Friends of Poland is an interest group set up by the Labour Party in March 2009.

The entire show is available for one week at www.orla.fm/replay