Bradford has the region’s highest number as well as highest population share of foreign-born residents, a report shows.

The study by Oxford University using statistics from the 2011 Census shows that Bradford has seen a 62.2 per cent rise in the non-UK born people living in the district since 2001 to 2011.

There were 55,258 non-UK born individuals in 2001 compared to 89,601 in 2011, accounting for 17.2 per cent of the district’s total population.

That is compared to an 80.8per cent increase in Leeds, from 47,636 in 2001 to 86,144 in 2011 which accounts for 11.5per cent of their total population.

Dr Mohammed Ali, chief executive of QED-UK, said about the figures: “It’s important not to incite negativity in respect to the increase of migrants over the last decade. Although a huge percentage rise, just nine per cent of residents in Yorkshire and Humber are born outside the UK. It's still a small minority.

“UP to 94 per cent of residents in the region speak English. Pakistan migrants have to be married to a British national earning £18,600 a year, and pass an English language test to enter the country, and second or third generation families are distinctly British.

“BBC3’s Bollywood Carmen was a recent celebration of British Asian identity, and the positive, vibrant life different cultures bring.

“Curry is the UK’s most popular national dish. Tea was originally Indian and Chinese, but is now quintessentially British. Since the Empire, Britain has been enriched by assimilating world cultures. British identity has always evolved as an Island Nation since the Viking invasion.”

In 2011, the total usual resident population of Yorkshire and the Humber stood at 5,283,733. Close to nine per cent of those residents (464,691) were born outside of the UK and 4.5per cent (236,270) held a non-UK passport.

In 2011, 47 per cent of Yorkshire and the Humber’s non-UK born residents were aged 20 to 39 years of age and in comparison, 24 per cent of the UK-born population were between 20 and 39 years old in 2011.

The majority (55 per cent) of the non-UK-born population was concentrated in West Yorkshire.

The highest number of people born in Poland resides in Leeds and Bradford (7,139 and 5,848 respectively).

However, Polish-born residents only represent seven per cent of the foreign-born population in both areas.

The leader of Bradford Council, Councillor Dave Green, said: “I tend to agree with Dr Ali. If you look at it in terms of the percentage of population it is still a small increase.

“I think people will jump to certain conclusions or those who want to will, but my guess is looking at other Census figures that are around, a large number of those people born outside the UK living in Bradford are from the European Union.”