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Immigration Update
01 May 2024
Lead MP
Tom Pursglove
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
ImmigrationAsylum & RefugeesMigrants & BordersUkraine
Other Contributors: 30
At a Glance
Tom Pursglove raised concerns about immigration update in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
The Government are committed to reducing immigration into the UK, both legal and illegal. Legal immigration has increased due to welcoming refugees from conflict zones like Ukraine, Hong Kong, and Afghanistan, but also because of an unsustainable rise in overseas students and workers. The Home Office's measures include raising visa salary requirements for skilled workers to £38,700, restricting student visas for dependants, and stopping care workers from bringing family members. These actions have led to a 24% reduction in skilled worker, health, and study visa applications compared to the previous year. The number of student dependent visas has fallen by 80%. Additionally, measures are being implemented to relocate illegal migrants to Rwanda and stop small boat arrivals, with more than 26,000 crossings prevented last year.
Stephen Kinnock
Lab
Aberavon Maesteg
Question
The Minister is praised today about reducing net migration, but what impact will this have on the health and social care sector where there's a severe shortage of workers?
Minister reply
The measures are part of our broader strategy to control legal immigration sustainably. While it’s true that some sectors may see reductions in workforce numbers initially, we have plans to address these issues through domestic recruitment drives.
Stephen Kinnock
Lab
Aberavon Maesteg
Question
How can the Minister explain the trebling of net migration since 2019 and why did it take so long for his party to remove the unfair wage discount policy?
Minister reply
The Government's focus has been on tackling illegal immigration first. The removal of the wage discount was a necessary step to protect British workers and ensure fairness in our immigration system.
Stephen Kinnock
Lab
Aberavon Maesteg
Question
Only 400 to 700 detention spaces are reserved for migrants due to deportation to Rwanda, which is less than 1% of the current asylum backlog. What will happen to the remaining 28,000 illegal immigrants?
Minister reply
We continue to work on identifying and detaining individuals eligible for relocation to Rwanda. Our plans include enhancing operational capabilities to manage this process effectively.
Stephen Kinnock
Lab
Aberavon
Question
The shadow Minister questioned the effectiveness of the Rwanda policy, citing low numbers of individuals being identified for deportation. He also criticised the Government's handling of work-based migration and asylum seekers, noting issues with detention facilities.
Minister reply
The Minister defended the Government’s approach by highlighting progress in reducing net migration and implementing plans to manage illegal immigration effectively. He noted that 2,000 individuals have been identified for removal under Rwanda policy guidelines and stressed the continued effort to track down others.
Tim Loughton
Con
East Worthing and Shoreham
Question
The MP inquired about the whereabouts of failed asylum seekers who cannot be returned without the Rwanda scheme. He expressed concern over tracking down these individuals to ensure their removal.
Minister reply
The Minister stated that an initial cohort of 2,000 people has been identified for possible removal under the Rwanda policy and are on immigration bail with reporting conditions. The Department maintains contact through various methods including face-to-face and digital reporting.
Alison Thewliss
SNP
Glasgow Central
Question
The MP criticises the Home Office's policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda, describing it as fascist nonsense and turning her stomach. She questions the morality of the policy, its impact on society, economy, universities, care services, and vulnerable individuals.
Minister reply
Minister defends the policy by arguing that it is necessary to protect lives from criminal gangs operating unseaworthy vessels in the Channel.
Damian Green
Con
Ashford
Question
The MP welcomes lower migration numbers and suggests that practical measures should be taken to reduce legal migration, rather than relying on rhetoric.
Minister reply
Minister acknowledges previous efforts by his colleagues in reducing immigration and emphasises the need for a sustainable model of legal migration.
Diana R. Johnson
Lab
Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham
Question
The MP questions the cost per person to fly individuals to Rwanda, asking about the airline being used and an estimate of people sent in the first three months.
Minister reply
Minister declines to provide operational or commercially sensitive details but confirms plans for a flight within 10-12 weeks.
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Con
North East Somerset
Question
The MP suggests returning to the Government's promise of tens of thousands of legal migrants and highlights the need to control higher numbers of legal migrants.
Minister reply
Minister confirms measures are delivering a reduction of 300,000 in net migration across various routes.
Alistair Carmichael
Lib Dem
Orkney and Shetland
Question
The MP questions the impact of visa reductions for care workers on the NHS.
Minister reply
Minister confirms efforts to employ more people from the domestic labour force, improve processes for rematching individuals already here on visas.
Kevin Foster
Con
Torbay
Question
The MP discusses the relationship between immigration and the UK labour market.
Minister reply
Minister argues that investment in domestic labour force to get people into vacancies is the right thing to do, with migration being a practical approach when necessary.
Ian Paisley Jnr
DUP
North Antrim
Question
The MP questions Ireland's position on pushing back returnees to Northern Ireland and their stance on UK as an unsafe destination.
Minister reply
Minister reiterates the Prime Minister’s position that returns from the EU via Ireland are not acceptable when EU does not accept returns to France.
Vicky Ford
Con
Chelmsford
Question
Chelmsford has welcomed many refugees, including those from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Hong Kong. However, due to the failure of Labour's housing policies in London, 400 families are unable to find temporary accommodation. Will the Minister close down certain hotels being used for accommodating asylum seekers?
Minister reply
The UK Government is providing sanctuary for individuals fleeing conflicts around the world and introducing greater Care Quality Commission oversight of the health and social care visa system. Reducing inflow is critical to closing more hotels across the country.
Hayes and Harlington
Question
The policy is seen as a financial fiasco causing distress among asylum seekers, including suicides and mental breakdowns. Can charities supporting these individuals have direct access to them?
Minister reply
People can access the support they need through established processes. The Government detains people who do not have the right to be in the UK for removal purposes.
Mark Francois
Con
Rayleigh and Wickford
Question
The Irish Government are considering moving police officers to the border due to an increase in asylum seekers from Northern Ireland. Will the Minister ensure that illegal cross-channel migrants will not be returned to Northern Ireland until a returns agreement with France is secured?
Minister reply
The UK opposes a hard border on the island of Ireland and seeks assurances from the Irish Government regarding the operation of the common travel area and Good Friday Agreement.
Question
When I was first elected, we often discussed safe and legal routes for asylum seekers. Will the Minister announce any such routes before the next general election?
Minister reply
The Government will publish a cap and statutory instrument to support resettlement opportunities in the UK through the Illegal Migration Act 2023.
Question
Care England reported that the care sector was blindsided by changes to ban overseas care workers from bringing dependants to the UK, leading to a decrease in applications. How will this impact care worker vacancies?
Minister reply
The Government considers domestic recruitment and retention as solutions; health and social care visa routes remain available for individuals without dependants.
Jeremy Corbyn
Ind
Islington North
Question
Does the Minister think of a sense of humanity about people in desperate situations, such as those fleeing persecution and oppression?
Minister reply
The UK offers safe and legal routes for individuals to seek refuge; demonising them is not appropriate.
Edward Leigh
Con
Gainsborough
Question
Despite the Government's announcement, RAF Scampton has not received a single migrant. The cost of housing migrants there has risen from £5 million to £27 million and buildings are decaying. Will the Minister ensure that the site is released for regeneration?
Minister reply
The Government works intensively with local authorities to realise accommodation ambitions and economic opportunities through regeneration projects.
Clive Efford
Lab
Eltham and Chislehurst
Question
We now know that it is the Government’s intention to pay board and lodging for five years for anyone voluntarily removed to Rwanda. That commitment will fall heavily on the next Government, if this one are even successful in getting anyone to Rwanda. So how much is this nonsense going to cost?
Minister reply
It is fair to say that if we were to adopt the approach of the Labour Front Benchers, which the hon. Gentleman no doubt subscribes to, we would continue to have uncontrolled immigration to our country via the channel. He offers no alternative solution to the one that the Government are taking forward. That is an unsustainable position.
Question
It is very encouraging to hear the news about the progress on tackling both legal and illegal migration, and particularly about the operationalisation of the Rwanda policy. Now that we have delivered the Rwanda scheme through Parliament, will the Minister look again at further schemes with other third countries?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right on the point about deterrents. He has been very supportive of our work that has seen Albanian arrivals fall by 90%. Again, that shows the value that deterrents have. I know the Minister for Countering Illegal Migration has been having conversations with the Vietnamese about the small boat arrivals we have seen from Vietnam.
Question
My Springburn constituent was detained and then taken on a 10-hour journey from Scotland to England. During this time, he was given no water and no food, his phone was taken off him so he could not contact anybody or tell anybody. Is that right? Is that acceptable?
Minister reply
I am a British citizen who is in this country legally. If the hon. Lady will allow me to finish the point, it is entirely right and proper that people are detained on a legal basis for the purposes of removal under this policy, but there are always safeguards around that.
Question
The signs of a fall in net migration will be welcomed across Amber Valley. Can I raise my concerns about the situation where a young UK national works abroad for a while and forms a relationship, but is not yet earning enough to sponsor their spouse to live in the UK? Is there more we can do to help in this situation?
Minister reply
There has been no change to the way that the various family visa requirements can be met, through savings and the like. We had a good debate last week in Westminster Hall on the important safeguard of article 8 rights.
Sammy Wilson
DUP
East Antrim
Question
We have supported this policy with some reservations because we believe it is important to break the criminal gang model and ensure the stability of the United Kingdom. However, I am not convinced today by the Minister’s argument given that we are sending one person to Rwanda with £3,000 in their pocket and we are still looking for half the people who are meant to be sent there.
Minister reply
The situation he describes would not be appropriate. That is a matter for the Minister for Countering Illegal Migration, who leads on that work within the Home Office.
Question
I welcome the news about the reduction in the number of legal migrants. Immigration must be set at sustainable levels so that migrants can integrate properly into our country. Does the Minister agree that to fill any skills gap, it is vital that we ensure that we upskill our own people and not become dependent on immigration?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right about that. There is concerted effort going on across Government, building on the back to work plan.
Ruth Cadbury
Lab
Brentford and Isleworth
Question
Labour pushed the Government into scrapping the unfair 20% wage discount on jobs on the shortage occupation list. Will the Minister explain why it took so long for the Government to adopt our policy?
Minister reply
I do not see it like that. Labour’s policy is a blank sheet of paper.
Question
The numbers of applications for skilled worker health and care visas and for student visas are down 24%. International students bring massive economic benefits to the UK, in my constituency alone that is worth £83 million per annum. If the graduate route is closed, we lose out economically but, more importantly, our businesses lose skills.
Minister reply
The hon. Member presents the Government’s position in an inaccurate and disingenuous light.
Question
Can the Minister explain what will happen to the more than 150,000 people whom the Refugee Council estimates cannot be removed to Rwanda or returned to their home country since the introduction of the Illegal Migration Act 2023? Does he accept that those people, stuck in limbo, are likely to be reliant on Home Office support or go underground?
Minister reply
I will not get into the operational specifics of the work that is ongoing to operationalise the Rwanda policy. We are clear that there is a basis on which we can send people to Rwanda for the purposes of relocation.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
Thanked the Minister for his answers and acknowledged that the Government has a policy to implement. He noted that the Home Office reported an 80% decline in skilled worker visas due to stricter policies, questioning whether this would negatively impact the fishing sector's reliance on skilled workers.
Minister reply
Acknowledged historical generosity towards the fishing and seafood processing sectors within the immigration system but mentioned legitimate concerns about exploitation and safeguarding. Offered to welcome ideas from the sector on how to uphold safeguarding duties while accommodating industry needs, including English language requirements.
Shadow Comment
Stephen Kinnock
Shadow Comment
The Labour Party criticises the Government's chaotic management of immigration and asylum systems. Net migration has tripled since 2019 to a record high, while boat crossings have surged from hundreds in 2018 to tens of thousands annually. The Minister’s claim of progress is undermined by these figures. The Home Secretary boasts about deporting illegal migrants but removal rates for failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals have plummeted under the Government's watch. Labour rejects the £500 million Rwanda scheme, citing its unaffordability and inefficacy. Instead, they propose a new cross-border police unit and returns enforcement units to manage migration effectively. Labour also plans to end the use of inappropriate accommodation for asylum seekers and ensure more flights take off to other countries.
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