Swindon businesses have pledged not to discriminate against migrant workers when the European Union expands later this year.

The EU is set for a historic enlargement on May 1, as 10 countries from Central Europe and the Mediterranean join the 15 existing members.

While enlargement supporters believe this will be an opportunity to unite Europe peacefully after generations of division and conflict, critics fear that migrants will be tempted by jobs with higher wages and more generous benefits.

The General Medical Council recently said it would be powerless to vet new arrivals, causing fears that insufficiently trained workers would find jobs due to the NHS staffing crisis.

But Swindon's Great Western Hospital said staff have always been vetted to the highest degree and this would continue after May 1.

Paul Bentley, director of Human Resources at the GWH, said: "We only ever employ people on their merit after they have been checked and screened thoroughly.

"Our overseas recruitment fully reflects our commitment to employing high quality staff. In the past few years we have only recruited from countries which have a high reputation in terms of nurse training such as Australia and the Philippines."

Swindon College said it was waiting for further guidance from the Department of Education and Skills, but expected all new EU citizens to have the same rights as existing citizens. Rachel Jevons, customer services supervisor, said: "We are happy to consider all applications as usual. As with other areas of health services, social and education provision we will have to wait and see what affect the expansion of the European Union has.

"There is no limit on the number of students we can take onto further education courses, but for higher education we will be limited to the target set by the Higher Education Funding Council."

Fast food restaurant chain McDonald's said all applicants have to produce specific documentation proving they can legally work and this would remain so after May 1.

Paul Booth, franchisee of four restaurants in Swindon, said: "Over the past six months I have not seen an increase in people from Eastern Europe applying for jobs.

"The basis for recruitment is on an individual's ability and personality and not on their ethnic origin."

aemery@newswilts.co.uk