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Illegal Migration Update
29 March 2023
Lead MP
Robert Jenrick
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
ImmigrationAsylum & RefugeesMigrants & BordersForeign AffairsParliamentary ProcedureLocal Government
Other Contributors: 43
At a Glance
Robert Jenrick raised concerns about illegal migration 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
ImmigrationAsylum & RefugeesMigrants & BordersForeign AffairsParliamentary ProcedureLocal Government
Government Statement
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on illegal migration. Three months ago, the Prime Minister set out a comprehensive plan to tackle illegal migration. We have increased immigration enforcement visits and removed over 4,000 people with no right to be here since December. Anglo-French cooperation is now closer than ever before, and we are expanding our partnership with Rwanda to relocate all those who pass through safe countries. Our modern slavery reforms in the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 are bearing fruit, and we are processing asylum backlog by cutting unnecessary paperwork and simplifying country guidance. The Illegal Migration Bill aims to fix small boat issues while remaining within treaty obligations. We have announced a new funding package including additional per-bed payments and piloting incentive payments for faster property availability. Military sites in Essex, Lincolnshire, and East Sussex will provide basic accommodation at scale with around-the-clock security, and local authorities will receive funding support.
Yvette Cooper
Lab
Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley
Question
The Home Secretary has failed to manage the asylum system; people smuggler convictions have halved despite more boats crossing. The Minister should find cheaper sites instead of additional ones and properly manage costs.
Minister reply
We are addressing the failure by increasing enforcement visits, deepening Anglo-French cooperation, expanding partnerships with Rwanda, introducing modern slavery reforms, and processing asylum backlog efficiently.
Yvette Cooper
Lab
Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley
Question
Today’s statement is an admission of failure—perhaps that is why the Home Secretary has asked the Immigration Minister to make it instead. Four years ago, the Cabinet said that they would halve channel crossings; they have gone up twentyfold since then... [full question]
Minister reply
Is it not abundantly clear that Labour does not have the faintest clue how to tackle this issue? It has absolutely no plan. What we have laid out today is three months of intense work, which is seeing the backlog coming down; productivity rising; more sustainable forms of accommodation; a harder approach to make it difficult to live and work in the UK illegally; illegal working raids and visits rising by 50%; and greater control over the channel—all improvements as a result of the 10-point plan that the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary set out... [full answer]
Edward Leigh
Con
Gainsborough
Question
Although the Minister did not mention RAF Scampton by name, we assume that that is the base in Lincolnshire to which he is referring. I can inform him that the moment that this is confirmed, the local authority of West Lindsey will issue an immediate judicial review and injunction against this thoroughly bad decision... [full question]
Minister reply
I can only pay tribute to my right hon. Friend—my friend and constituency neighbour. He is representing his constituents forcefully, in the way that he has always done in this place, and he is absolutely right to do so. I can say to him that, while this policy is, without question, in the national interest, we understand the impact and concern that there will be within local communities... [full answer]
Alison Thewliss
SNP
Glasgow Central
Question
Well, Britain has historical form on the use of internment camps and it is despicable that this Government are intent on bringing them back in 2023. The Minister’s pathetic attempt to draw comparisons with the use of cruise ships to accommodate Ukrainians is as offensive as it is misleading... What has changed since that advice last year? The real problem is the backlog—we all know that—and the Home Office’s inability to tackle it.
Minister reply
On the hon. Lady’s question regarding the use of overseas development aid to pay for the accommodation of asylum seekers here in the UK, we entirely agree. It is a gross waste of taxpayers’ money and we want to see that money being put to better usage... We are making significant progress on the backlog—[Interruption.] We are, actually; we know the hon. Lady does not like to deal in facts, but I can give her our internal figures, unpublished as yet, which show that over 11,000 cases in the backlog have been processed in the last three months as a result of the new processes we have put in place.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Question
If I may respectfully make a few points to my right hon. Friend the Minister, we need to tackle this entire debate and discussion with a degree of maturity, because it is a difficult and sensitive subject... Why is it deemed appropriate for asylum seeker accommodation for single men to be placed in a rural village in Essex, where there is no infrastructure and no amenities, when it was not appropriate for somewhere like Linton-on-Ouse?
Minister reply
I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend, who began this good work with her new plan for immigration—an incredibly important step forward... We do not have a current plan to proceed with the Linton-on-Ouse proposition, but the sites I have announced today are just the first set that we would like to take forward.
Alistair Carmichael
Lib Dem
Orkney and Shetland
Question
I think the House should be more generous to the Minister and acknowledge the true genius of this announcement... But if the Minister is confident in his projections about what is going to happen to the backlog of asylum applications, why is the extra capacity going to be necessary?
Minister reply
To answer the second point first, we want to see anyone crossing the channel moved into this rudimentary accommodation immediately. That is why it is critical that we build national capacity so that we can clear the hotels, consign that policy to the history books and put people into larger sites.
Question
The Government’s determination to accelerate the processing of claims is to be welcomed... Can he assure me that the proposals he is announcing will bring into sight the day when those hotels will be returned to that purpose?
Minister reply
My right hon. Friend raises exactly the concerns that have motivated us to bring forward these proposals. We want to make sure that the interest of his constituency and his constituents are put above those of illegal immigrants coming into our country.
Question
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for the discussions he held recently with the leader and chief executive of Knowsley Council and me to discuss the problem we have with a hotel in my constituency... Will he, though, give me some indication of what criteria will be used to determine which hotels close and in what sequence?
Minister reply
The conversations I had with the right hon. Gentleman and his local authority leaders informed the decisions we have taken, because it was clear from his constituency that that hotel was inflaming community tensions... When we have the capacity to begin closing hotels at pace, we will look at that through a number of lenses.
Question
Land-based reception camps in the right place have to be the solution. Does my right hon. Friend agree that, if we look at what has happened in hotel so far with illegal migrants, we have had issues with local residents, disappearing children, sexual assaults and so on, and that putting these people on boats or barges...
Minister reply
There are no easy answers; these are among the most difficult decisions in government. Placing asylum seekers on well-run large sites and providing specific facilities, with minimal impact on local communities, is the right approach.
Patrick Grady
SNP
Glasgow Cathcart
Question
The Big Help Out app encourages people to volunteer for a good cause over the coronation weekend, and a number of opportunities listed on it are with organisations that help refugees and asylum seekers. Does the Minister agree that it is appropriate that people spend the coronation weekend supporting those who he says have broken into this country?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman and I may disagree on the fundamental point here, but I believe in borders, national security, and national sovereignty, and those people entering our country illegally are breaking the law.
Marco Longhi
Con
Saffron Walden
Question
Does the Minister agree that while the Government accelerate assessment, enforcement, and removal of illegal immigrants, it is quite right to look at suitable accommodation for them? Does he also agree that if armed forces bases are suitable for our brave personnel, they are certainly suitable for illegal immigrants?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right; those on the left seem happy to house armed forces personnel but not illegal immigrants in military bases.
Hilary Benn
Lab
Leeds South
Question
The Minister stated that three sites will provide accommodation for several thousand asylum seekers. Can he tell the House how many thousands, and can he remind us of the total number of people being placed in hotels currently?
Minister reply
Initially there will be smaller numbers, but within a very short time, there will be several thousand on those sites.
Maggie Throup
Con
Erewash
Question
Will the Minister now commit to publishing a clear timetable for the closure of two migrant hotels in Erewash and guarantee that this will end their use?
Minister reply
I know my hon. Friend has been tenacious in campaigning on behalf of her constituents, and I hope we will start seeing the use of hotels come to close in the months ahead.
Tan Dhesi
Lab
Slough
Question
The British taxpayer is shelling out more than £6 million a day to house migrants. Asylum decisions have collapsed by 40% since 2015, and the Home Office did not follow correct procedures or test whether contracts were value for money. After 13 years, can this Government manage anything properly?
Minister reply
The state the last Labour Government left the Home Office in was one of chaos and dysfunction, according to John Vine’s report. We have a robust plan to address the backlog and are implementing tougher measures such as those set out in the Illegal Migration Bill.
Edward Timpson
Con
Eddisbury
Question
Are there any circumstances where children would be placed in the sites announced? To ensure swift movement of minors into local authority care, may I encourage him to use additional funding for local councils?
Minister reply
It is not my intention to house minors on those sites. They will be used for single adult males and act as a serious deterrent.
Joanna Cherry
SNP
Edinburgh South
Question
These proposals are reminiscent of internment camps in 'Years and Years'. UK may face racial discrimination claims under the European Convention on Human Rights if poor-quality accommodation is used. Does he appreciate this?
Minister reply
We intend to meet our domestic and international law obligations, and any accommodation will be decent and legal.
Natalie Elphicke
Con
Dover
Question
The pressures on Dover District Council and Kent County Council from the sheer number of migrants are immense. Despite these pressures, we are asked to take more. Will my right hon. Friend meet me and colleagues to see what can be done for Kent?
Minister reply
I would be pleased to meet my hon. Friend and her colleagues. This policy will reduce dependence on hotels and ensure increased funding is made available to local authorities.
Ruth Cadbury
Lab
Brentford and Isleworth
Question
While asylum seekers are in difficult conditions, much of taxpayers' funding goes into the pockets of contractors and subcontractors. What is he doing to address this mismanagement?
Minister reply
I meet regularly with Home Office providers and have been clear that accommodation must be suitable, of good quality, and there must be value for money.
Kelly Tolhurst
Con
Rochford and Southend East
Question
It is nice to see you back in your place. I thank my right hon. Friend for his hard work and determination to stop the boats. More enforcement work and funding are key. When the Home Office makes decisions about dispersal accommodation, if agencies agree a place is inappropriate, should the Home Office take note?
Minister reply
My right hon. Friend has raised legitimate concerns, and appropriate engagement between local authority and Home Office should occur before decisions are made.
Seema Malhotra
Lab Co-op
Feltham and Heston
Question
The Minister was right that we need to stop people coming here by boat. Labour voted for a cross-border police unit in the National Crime Agency. Why did Government MPs vote against it?
Minister reply
We have already done it.
Question
The MP pays tribute to the Minister and questions the Opposition's refusal to recognise the need for sensible limits on migration numbers during a crisis, citing concerns about limited resources.
Minister reply
The Minister agrees that the UK must be compassionate but also acknowledge its finite resources. He emphasises the importance of focusing on the interests of constituents rather than virtue-signalling.
Clive Betts
Lab
Sheffield South East
Question
The MP criticises the Minister for not having a clear plan to move asylum seekers out of hotels, and raises concerns about local authorities' ability to provide accommodation.
Minister reply
The Minister responds that his approach involves working closely with local authorities and providing them with enhanced resources. He notes that addressing the housing crisis would have been a better solution but criticises Labour for opposing new home building.
Question
The MP expresses strong opposition to the use of hotels, particularly the Novotel in Ipswich, and asks about timescales for moving asylum seekers into more appropriate accommodation.
Minister reply
The Minister shares the MP's desire to close the hotel as soon as possible. He emphasises that closing the backlog is essential to freeing up hotel spaces.
Question
The MP questions the risk of self-harm and suicide among asylum seekers in institutional accommodation and asks if a policy risk assessment has been conducted.
Minister reply
The Minister asserts that new sites will be better for residents, with trained staff and healthcare facilities. He notes that these accommodations will help process claims swiftly.
Neil Hudson
Con
Epping Forest
Question
The MP asks the Minister to reassure the House about the compassionate treatment of women, children and families throughout this policy.
Minister reply
The Minister assures that despite being tough, the policy will be decent and legal. He highlights the Government's commitment to resettlement schemes.
Tim Farron
Lib Dem
Westmorland and Lonsdale
Question
The MP criticises the Minister for blaming incompetence on vulnerable people and suggests investing in faster appeals processes instead of gimmicks.
Minister reply
The Minister disagrees, stating that fault lies with human traffickers. He emphasises taking robust action to stop illegal immigration.
Question
The MP asks about the prioritisation of emptying hotels in Stoke-on-Trent and welcomes additional funding for local areas.
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledges Stoke-on-Trent's significant contribution and highlights plans to close egregious cases such as the North Stafford Hotel.
Andrew Slaughter
Lab
Hammersmith and Chiswick
Question
The MP raises concerns about the treatment of asylum seekers, including being placed in unfit accommodation and lack of notice for dispersals.
Minister reply
The Minister states that people will be treated with decency but emphasises the need to address significant pull factors. He notes that other European countries are adopting similar measures.
Question
The MP questions about future requests for hotel accommodation and suggests a scheme to bridge gaps between housing crises.
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledges the complexity of the issue and highlights joint work with officials from both Departments to address challenges.
Clive Efford
Lab
Eltham and Chislehurst
Question
The Minister has told us that newly arrived migrants are going to be taken to this new form of accommodation, so they will be competing for places with the people he wants to move out of hotels. It seems to me that he is planning for the failure of his attempts to stop the boats through the Illegal Immigration Bill, because he is increasing capacity with the spaces that he is planning. Can he tell us how many more people he is planning to accommodate, in addition to those who are already accommodated by the Home Office?
Minister reply
I am confused by the hon. Gentleman’s question, because he does not support the Bill in the first place. However, it is our intention once we have secured the passage of our Bill through Parliament—its Committee stage over the past two days showed the strength of support for the Bill on the Government side of the House, although there was not quite the same reaction on the Opposition Benches—to bring forward the Rwanda proposal. Once that is operationalised, people will be detained, their cases will be heard in a limited fashion, and then they will be removed from the country swiftly. In the meantime, we need some capacity, and that is going to be provided by these new large sites.
Question
My right hon. Friend is one of the abler Ministers in the Home Office, so it makes sense for him to give this statement this afternoon. Is he, though, as concerned as I am about a Gerald Ratner approach to the Government’s immigration policy, whereby they simply spend their time highlighting the problems rather than some of the work they are undertaking? Is he aware that the primary concern of most people is to ensure that the backlog of asylum applications is dealt with, and more importantly that decisions are made, as they were in 2015? Could I also caution him that even worse than a Gerald Ratner approach to Government policy on this issue is a “something must be seen to be done” policy, which might bring forward this Rosie and Jim idea of barges all over the place?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend raises an important point that the public do not want to see performative or declaratory policies in this space: they want to see us acting, taking difficult decisions, and that is what is within this statement. He is correct to say that this requires an approach across many different avenues. Again, he can see that from the fact that we are rapidly reducing the backlog; that we have increased immigration enforcement visits by 50%; that we have established the small boats operational command in the channel and are recruiting hundreds of officers to staff it; and that we have signed deals with France and Albania. This shows the Government acting on every approach. My hon. Friend can be in no doubt that we will solve this problem, and if we fail, it will not be for want of trying.
Question
The Minister talked about only meeting the basic needs of the residents. However, mental health is a basic need to many people, and I do not see how isolation is going to help in that regard.
Following on from that, I invite the Minister to join me in condemning the racist protesters who are appearing outside hotels, including one in my own constituency. In particular, I invite him to directly challenge the tropes that are being used: that asylum seekers are sexual predators. The same tactic has been used down through the centuries to attack marginalised people.
Minister reply
I have been very clear that those far-right and other elements who are inciting violence and intimidation outside hotels or other forms of accommodation are wrong. I have directed the Home Office to work closely with the police through the National Police Coordination Centre and other parts of Government, including the security services, to track that pernicious activity and support local councils and police forces in taking robust action wherever possible. If the hon. Gentleman has particular cases that he wants to bring to my attention, I would be pleased to look into them.
Question
Could I just probe my right hon. Friend with regard to his proposals for housing migrants on barges and ferries? Specifically, could he advise on whether he expects those vessels to have access to the quay or to be moored offshore? If they are to have access to the quay, which I would expect, what conversations has he had with port operators about the operational challenges to their business from hosting what is essentially a residential community long-term?
Minister reply
If my hon. Friend will forgive me, I am not going to comment on press speculation. Obviously, I will make further statements should we proceed with any significant developments in this regard. I have pointed to examples in Scotland and in the Netherlands where the use of vessels has been successful. As my hon. Friend knows, we do not currently have the powers to detain individuals for prolonged periods of time, so any form of accommodation would be non-detained.
Question
In response to an earlier question, the Minister talked about people “breaking into our country”. The Home Secretary has talked about an “invasion”. Those words, like this statement, are designed for the headlines, but can I ask him genuinely whether he recognises that using that kind of language to describe people, many of whom are seeking refuge from countries such as Afghanistan, Iran and Syria, is inflammatory, divisive and adds to the sort of tensions that other Members have talked about? Will he reflect on his use of language and agree that the priority is to tackle the people smugglers, not to criminalise and demonise their victims?
Minister reply
I believe that all of us have a responsibility to choose our words with care, and to accept the occasions where we choose the wrong language. This is an area of public policy where it would be better to de-escalate the current language and tensions. I do not think it is wrong to describe individuals as illegal immigrants or to say that individuals are breaking into our country, because we have borders and they have to be enforced. If the hon. Gentleman or I crossed a national border into another country, we would expect to be met by law enforcement and a robust response.
Question
I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend’s work on this matter, as well as to that of the Home Secretary and the former Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witham (Priti Patel). Their diligence and co-operation with me has been welcome over the past 12 months. Last summer, I successfully managed to stop the introduction of a hotel in a wholly unsuitable place in my constituency, although unfortunately it fell on me to prove to the Home Office that it was wholly unsuitable. The threat remains, not only of additional hotels, but of companies such as Serco hoovering up family homes while we have a housing waiting list in my constituency. Can my right hon. Friend set out for me what today’s announcement means for that threat and when we can safely say that that threat has been removed?
Minister reply
First, I thank my hon. Friend for his generous words about me and my colleagues at the Home Office. He is right to say that the sheer number of people crossing the channel illegally, coupled with the generosity of our country in recent years in welcoming 500,000 people on humanitarian grounds and the high levels of legal migration we have, is posing a serious challenge to communities and councils with respect to housing and social housing. We are working through those challenges with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and one additional element we are introducing today is a substantially enhanced package for local authorities so that they have more funding to pay for the kinds of accommodation they will need and any displacement activity that might occur.
Question
Rather than treat those seeking sanctuary on these shores as criminals and wasting vast sums of money to build internment camps to house them, would it not be more sensible simply to issue them with temporary work permits, so that they can contribute to the community, earn their own money to cover their own housing costs and pay tax into the Exchequer, rather than being a drain upon it?
Minister reply
I understand and acknowledge that that is a legitimate point of view. It is not one I agree with, because I believe that we have to suffuse our approach with deterrence, and if we allow a further pull factor to the United Kingdom in the form of enabling people to work soon after their arrival, I suspect we will just find even more people coming to this country.
Question
First, I thank my right hon. Friend the Minister for his engagement, which has been robust between us at times. He will understand that in Stoke-on-Trent we have around 1,300 asylum seekers and illegal economic migrants, of whom 31% are in hotels. Residents and constituents are outraged to see the city used and abused in this way. He wholly and accurately reflects the situation with the North Stafford Hotel, which is right by a levelling-up project and a £40 million transforming cities fund project. It is right opposite our railway station, which is a gateway to 6 million visitors a year. It is wholly unacceptable. Can my right hon. Friend the Minister reconfirm what he said in answer to my hon. Friend and neighbour the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Jack Brereton)—that Stoke-on-Trent will be one of the priority areas that will see young single men moved out of hotels and into the new accommodation he has outlined today?
Minister reply
As my hon. Friend knows, I love the Potteries and will always want to further the best interests of Stoke-on-Trent and its wider region. The hotel by the station is a particularly egregious one in my opinion, because it is holding back regeneration in that part of the city. I would like to see it closed at the earliest opportunity. The other point I make on Stoke-on-Trent is that it has stepped up and taken a large number of individuals through dispersal accommodation, which I hope other local authorities will do with the added support we are providing today.
Simon Lightwood
Lab Co-op
Wakefield and Rothwell
Question
Yesterday, Labour offered a reasonable amendment to the Illegal Migration Bill that would have forced the Home Office to consult with councils over asylum hotels. That would have been welcome in my constituency where, despite the Minister’s announcement, he is planning to force a third hotel on my community. Wakefield Council has already had £300 million cut from its budget. It has done its best to provide support, but it lacks the community capacity and the funding to do more. Why did the Government run scared last night and vote down our amendment to give local councils a say?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman should go back to his constituents and explain why, in his short tenure in this House, he has already started voting against exactly the kinds of measures that would stop the boats. I rather suspect that he is not on the same side as his constituents on this issue.
Question
Understanding the Minister’s difficulties in making this statement, questions whether accommodation will be treated as part of national infrastructure and if it will all be non-detained. He also asks for a timeline to have these centres operational.
Minister reply
The sites will be non-detained and legally compliant, using planning powers available to the Government. Individuals are expected to be on these sites within weeks.
Tahir Ali
Lab
Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley
Question
Critiques the statement as scaremongering ahead of local elections, suggesting it does not address human traffickers adequately.
Minister reply
The Minister argues that taking action against people smugglers is better than doing nothing. The new accommodation will help clear hotels and reduce pull factors for illegal migration.
Question
Welcomes the statement and asks about similar approaches taken by Belgium, Ireland, France, Germany, and Scotland.
Minister reply
Discusses measures being considered in these countries, highlighting that they are not unique but part of a European migration crisis response.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
Questions if those seeking asylum due to extenuating circumstances will receive compassionate treatment.
Minister reply
Stresses the importance of human dignity in the system, aiming to deploy resources towards genuine refugees rather than economic migrants or illegal entrants.
Shadow Comment
Yvette Cooper
Shadow Comment
Today’s statement is an admission of failure. The Cabinet promised to halve channel crossings but they have gone up twentyfold; hotel use has increased despite promises to end it. The asylum system is broken due to criminal gangs ripping along the channel, with fewer smuggler convictions and more boats crossing, leading to a collapse in decision-making. These new plans do not address hotel use but add additional sites, which is chaotic according to a damning report from the Government’s independent watchdog. Ministers have been writing cheques in a panic without proper management or consultation with councils. The Bill makes things worse by lacking returns agreements and speeding up asylum decisions through cancellations rather than processing them efficiently.
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