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Illegal Immigration
13 December 2022
Lead MP
Rishi Sunak
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
Asylum & RefugeesMigrants & BordersEmploymentForeign AffairsBusiness Compliance
Other Contributors: 70
At a Glance
Rishi Sunak raised concerns about illegal immigration 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
Asylum & RefugeesMigrants & BordersEmploymentForeign AffairsBusiness Compliance
Government Statement
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement on illegal migration. The basis for any solution should be not just what works but what is right. It is unfair that people come here illegally and it takes up capacity from those with genuine asylum cases. As the world becomes more unstable, the numbers displaced will only grow. Britain has a proud history of providing sanctuary to those in need, but today far too many beneficiaries are people crossing the channel in small boats. The Home Secretary and I have studied every aspect of this issue in detail and we can now set out five new steps. First, establish a new, permanent, unified small boats operational command which will bring together military, civilian capabilities and the National Crime Agency with more than 700 new staff and doubling funding given to NCA for tackling organised immigration crime in Europe. Secondly, free up immigration officers to go back to enforcement allowing us to increase raids on illegal working by 50%. Thirdly, end spending £5.5 million every day on using hotels to house asylum seekers, and we will bring forward a range of alternative sites.
Keir Starmer
Lab
Holborn and St Pancras
Question
Mr. Starmer thanked the Prime Minister for his statement and criticised the government for not providing serious solutions to illegal migration despite repeated promises. He pointed out that over 40,000 people have crossed the channel this year with only 2% having their asylum claim processed, highlighting the issue of a backlog and calling for more action against criminal gangs.
Minister reply
The Prime Minister dismissed Labour's criticisms, stating they lack credibility on tackling immigration. He outlined the government’s plan which includes strengthening laws, deals with Albania and France, cheaper accommodation options, tougher immigration enforcement measures, and new legislation to deter illegal migration.
Question
Mrs. May thanked the Prime Minister for his statement and emphasised the need for rapid processing of asylum claims while distinguishing human trafficking from people smuggling as separate crimes.
Minister reply
The Prime Minister agreed with Mrs. May’s comments, highlighting that they will ensure their world-leading modern slavery regime actually helps those who are most in need and vulnerable.
Stephen Flynn
SNP
Aberdeen South
Question
Mr. Flynn welcomed some of the Prime Minister's statements but expressed concerns about proposed legislation, accommodation proposals, and the one-size-fits-all approach towards asylum seekers from Albania. He asked if the Prime Minister had consulted with the UN High Commissioner on Refugees.
Minister reply
The Prime Minister confirmed that the Development Secretary met the UN High Commissioner for Refugees last weekend but stressed that the UK should not need external permission to control its own borders.
Question
Mr. Bottomley supported the government's stance on illegal immigration, questioning how people can be safe and their status determined.
Minister reply
The Prime Minister thanked Mr. Bottomley for his support and reiterated that tackling illegal migration is a complex issue but committed to delivering on the outlined plan with everyone’s support.
Diana R. Johnson
Lab
Kingston upon Hull North
Question
Inquires about the government's plan for sufficient staffing and productivity increase in decision-making units, given the current backlog of 150,000 cases and staff attrition rate of 46%. She also questions how productivity will be tripled.
Minister reply
Acknowledges the committee's report and outlines a redesigned process to enhance productivity from 1.2 to 4 decisions per caseworker per week within a short period, aiming to clear the backlog by the end of the next year. He also mentions doubling the number of caseworkers to 1,200 in the last year and plans for another doubling over the next nine to twelve months.
Roger Gale
Con
Herne Bay
Question
Compliments the Prime Minister's initiatives with France and Albania and asks if a pan-European approach is necessary to solve the problem.
Minister reply
Agrees that a European-wide solution is needed, highlighting the resumption of meetings in the Calais group and working with Frontex towards a European returns agreement.
Edward Davey
Lib Dem
Kingston and Surbiton
Question
Asks why the ban on asylum seekers working will not be lifted, given that it does not act as a pull factor for immigrants.
Minister reply
Declines to lift the work ban, stating that such measures are ineffective in reducing backlog and should instead focus on preventing illegal immigration.
Question
Welcomes today’s announcements and asks about the importance of the Rwanda flights.
Minister reply
Reiterates the importance of the Rwanda policy as part of tackling illegal immigration, emphasising the ability to return individuals either to their home country or an alternative location like Rwanda.
Clive Efford
Lab
Eltham
Question
Questions how the Prime Minister plans to achieve his goals given the high attrition rate among caseworkers.
Minister reply
Explains that productivity will be tripled through a redesigned process and emphasises stopping illegal immigration as the best solution.
Question
Supports the measures and asks for safe and legal routes, including Dubs 2 scheme for unaccompanied children in peril.
Minister reply
Agrees to have discussions on designing such routes but insists that border control must be prioritised first.
Question
Critiques the Prime Minister's decision to remove 'gold-plating' from the modern slavery system, questioning its impact on protecting victims.
Minister reply
Asserts that the current system is overwhelmed by claims and needs to be focused on genuine victims of modern slavery.
Lee Anderson
Reform
Ashfield
Question
Claims that most individuals arriving via small boats are economic migrants, not genuine refugees.
Minister reply
Supports the idea that the majority are economic migrants and emphasises being on the side of the British people.
Gavin Robinson
DUP
Belfast East
Question
Inquires about the doubling of caseworkers and if the new Albanian team of 400 forms part of this increase.
Minister reply
The Albanian team will be a part of the doubling, specifically trained to process Albanian claims in weeks rather than months under the new guidance.
David Davis
Con
Goole and Pocklington
Question
Urges for better decision-making in the Home Office regarding accommodation for Albanian migrants.
Minister reply
Committed to managing the issue with sensitivity, care, and strong engagement with local authorities.
Debbie Abrahams
Lab Co-op
Oldham East and Saddleworth
Question
Asks if the UN High Commissioner for Refugees supports the proposed measures.
Minister reply
Affirms belief in sovereignty, acting within legal obligations but taking decisive action against illegal migration.
Question
Suggests reactivating the detained fast-track procedure to improve efficiency of the tribunal system.
Minister reply
Acknowledges the process and confirms that recent meetings have taken place with authorities.
Meg Hillier
Lab Co-op
Hackney South and Shoreditch
Question
Proposes removing the rule requiring renewal of indefinite leave to remain every 30 months.
Minister reply
Points out that current backlogs are half as large under the current government compared to the last Labour Government.
Question
Supports tackling criminal gangs upstream and increasing funding for Operation Invigor at the National Crime Agency.
Minister reply
Agrees, doubling resources to disrupt organised crime gangs upstream in Europe.
Question
Asks if proposed Bills or policies breaching international conventions should be rejected outright.
Minister reply
Proposes that illegal immigrants will not have the right to stay, a proposition supported by most British citizens.
Chris Grayling
Con
Ashford
Question
Encourages extending guidance for processing decisions to other countries such as Vietnam.
Minister reply
Confirms that Section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 allows designation of safe countries.
Stella Creasy
Lab Co-op
Walthamstow
Question
Highlights concerns about safeguarding children in immigration hotels and seeks transparency on housing families separately.
Minister reply
Acknowledges government's commitment to safeguarding, meeting the hon. Lady regarding this issue.
Karen Bradley
Con
Staffordshire Moorlands
Question
Proposes urging UN for annual Heads of Government conference focusing on global migration issues.
Minister reply
Praises her work and agrees that modern solutions are needed, endorsing the idea.
Rosie Duffield
Ind
Canterbury
Question
References Enver Solomon's comments about ensuring timely and fair decisions for asylum seekers.
Minister reply
Asserts reforms aim to reduce pressure on the system, stop illegal migration, and process claims efficiently.
Question
Suggests differentiating economic migrants from genuine refugees through bypassing notwithstanding formula in ECHR.
Minister reply
Confident that legislation will deliver desired outcomes for asylum system early next year.
Chi Onwurah
Lab
Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West
Question
When my mother fled war and famine in Biafra in the 1960s with her three small children, the cargo plane on which we travelled—the only form of transport available—landed first in Lisbon, as Portugal was the only country that recognised Biafra at the time. Does the Prime Minister think that we should have been obliged to remain in that relatively safe country, or does he agree with my mother that it was better to travel on to Newcastle, where my grandmother lived?
Minister reply
This country has and always will have a proud tradition of welcoming people here. We need to ensure that we can do that, but we cannot do that if our system is under unsustainable pressure from people who should not be here. By having proper control of our borders and ensuring we create a deterrent effect for those coming here illegally, we will be in a position where people do not have to travel through other countries to get here.
Question
I congratulate the Prime Minister on targeted and practical measures. Does he agree that what he proposes is entirely consistent with our international obligations and, in particular, entirely consistent with our obligations under the European convention on human rights and the European Human Rights Act? Is it not better to concentrate on practical measures, rather than upending our domestic human rights legislation, which frankly would be a wasteful red herring?
Minister reply
I thank my hon. Friend for his support. He makes a good point. As I said earlier, the vast majority of European countries already reject almost 100% of claims from asylum seekers from Albania, for example. They are all signatories to the same conventions and treaties as us, so there is no reason why we should not be able to move to exactly the same rejection rate.
Dwyfor Meirionnydd
Question
I express my heartfelt sympathies to the people of Solihull following this week’s terrible disaster. We all know what today’s announcement is: a sop to the right-wing press. It continues the Prime Minister’s obsession with scapegoating asylum seekers. Fast-tracking applications and weakening modern slavery protections directly undermine Wales’s nation of sanctuary policy, which includes an explicit commitment to prevent people seeking sanctuary from becoming victims of modern slavery. What discussions has he had with the Welsh Government to guarantee that fast-tracking will not frustrate our ambition to be a proper nation of sanctuary?
Minister reply
We were the first country in the world, thanks to the leadership of my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), to pass the Modern Slavery Act 2015, with a dedicated regime that does not exist in that form in basically any other European country. We require our businesses to enforce their supply chains and we have life sentences for people who traffic modern slaves.
Question
I warmly welcome the package of measures announced today, because this is the key issue on the doorstep in my constituency. It is something voters care about very deeply. The package being put together is very strong and, as my right hon. Friend says, it complements the Rwanda agreement. Can he just confirm, however, that if it is, like the Rwanda agreement, ultimately frustrated by the European convention on human rights, we will rule nothing out, including derogation, to ensure we can deliver this vital package?
Minister reply
Having been on those doorsteps in Middlesbrough South with my right hon. Friend, I know he speaks the truth and he is right to highlight this issue for his constituents. We will legislate to put our Albania proposals on a statutory footing. I am highly confident that those should be delivered.
Chris Bryant
Lab
Rhondda and Ogmore
Question
The Prime Minister said we will restart data sharing to stop migrants getting bank accounts. Who are we going to be restarting data sharing with and why did we stop?
Minister reply
The hon. Member will remember, I am sure, that after the Windrush situation data sharing was stopped in a range of different places and has not restarted. We will be restarting data sharing with the banks, so that when someone tries to open a new bank account, and on a quarterly basis for existing bank accounts, the banks will have to check against the database of illegal migrants that we hold to ensure people cannot disappear into the black economy having arrived here illegally.
Question
I am very pleased to hear about the new approach to Albanians, which is both obvious and very sensible. My question to the Prime Minister is on how we bridge the gap. We approve 76% of all asylum applications, but the EU average is just 14%. We are all ECHR signatories. They are not held out as international pariahs or as breaking any abstract of international law. The Prime Minister may be surprised to hear that I have no issue with the ambit of the ECHR as long as we have an outcome of about 14%, too. What has been going wrong with our approvals and refusals process?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. A big part of that difference is how we are treating Albania. That will be changed as a result of our new guidance and deal. More broadly, one of the changes that we have made today is to increase the threshold that someone has to meet to be considered a modern slave.
Fleur Anderson
Lab
Putney
Question
The white list of countries designated safe is not new, and Albania has been on that list since 2014, so there is nothing new about this announcement. I welcome the clearing of the backlog. The Prime Minister just said that he knew that workers would be employed within the next nine to 12 months, and the whole backlog would be cleared from the current 100,000—it was 3,000 when Labour was in power—in the same 12 months. So without the immigration workers there, how will this circle be squared and how will be the backlog be cleared?
Minister reply
I urge the hon. Lady to go and check her figures. It was certainly a lot higher than that under the last Labour Government. As my hon. Friend the Member for South Thanet (Craig Mackinlay) said, we are currently rejecting only 45% of Albanian asylum seekers, compared to all European countries, which reject more like 98% to 100%. The changes we have made today will ensure that our rate increases up to the levels that we see elsewhere.
Question
I thank my right hon. Friend for his statement and for the new approach on Albania. As much as I welcome the jobs, will my right hon. Friend confirm that this will be a temporary, not permanent, new small boats operational command centre in Dover and east Kent? In relation to safe countries and immediate returns, will my right hon. Friend update the House on whether a date has been set for the summit with President Macron next year?
Minister reply
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for all the work that she does on this issue in her constituency. She is right. We want to get through the challenges that we face to have a system in which people do not come here illegally.
Question
Yesterday I led a delegation of the Joint Committee on Human Rights to the Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. One of the issues we discussed was the importance of all Council of Europe states addressing migration issues in accordance with human rights and international law. International refugee law does not require asylum seekers to make their claim in the first safe country and it protects asylum seekers arriving via irregular or unofficial routes, provided they make their presence known to the authorities. Can the Prime Minister give me an undertaking that his new laws will comply with the United Kingdom’s international law and human rights obligations, and if not, can he tell us from which treaties he intends to derogate? Or is it simply his intention to flout international law and, if that is the case, what kind of example does he think that sets to other countries, particularly on Europe’s eastern border?
Minister reply
The hon. and learned Lady will know that the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 and the Dublin agreement all consider the proposition that it is possible to return people who have come here who should not be here.
John Hayes
Con
South Holland and The Deepings
Question
It is rare in this House to agree with every single sentiment, impulse and word, but I did today. Will the Prime Minister automatically assume that a claim for asylum is spurious or doubtful if people travel across safe countries before claiming?
Minister reply
The new legislation will make it clear: illegal entry means no right to stay and removal either back to their own safe country or to a safe alternative.
Derek Twigg
Lab
Widnes and Halewood
Question
Why has the Government lost control of the asylum and immigration system? Will he confirm that the whole backlog of initial asylum decisions will be cleared by the end of next year? When does he expect to remove from the country those asylum seekers who have failed in their applications?
Minister reply
Yes, the plan is to clear the initial asylum backlog by the end of next year (117,000 cases). The global migratory patterns have changed and other European countries are seeing a rise in asylum claims.
Question
Does he agree that returning hotels currently housing asylum seekers to their normal use will be seen as a measure of success? Will this be made a priority?
Minister reply
Tirelessly working towards ensuring flights depart that remove people who should not be here and hotels return to their normal use.
Question
Is the Prime Minister's approach fair and efficient? Why are there only eight staff processing 11,000 asylum applications from Afghanistan while 500 new staff were found for Albania?
Minister reply
More than 23,000 people have been safely settled in this country. Humanitarian visas issued are more now than any year since the second world war.
David Simmonds
Con
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
Question
Are there plans to examine processes used by other states for dealing with asylum issues within the law? Will he work with those countries on safe and legal routes?
Minister reply
Yes, learning from other countries about how to do this faster and better is exactly what we want to achieve.
Alison McGovern
Lab
Birkenhead
Question
While the Prime Minister might be okay with his cheerleaders in here, I think he is out of touch. Which decisions made while the PM was around the Cabinet table would he point to as the reason why the backlog is now 14 times bigger than when Labour left office?
Minister reply
The backlog is half the size it was under Labour; what the British people want is an asylum system that says 'When you come here illegally, you cannot stay.'
Question
Thanking my right hon. Friend for measures outlined today and his personal determination to find practical solutions to a very real problem. In her constituency the Home Office has identified a disused building for dispersal accommodation. Will he make sure that the Home Office listens to local authority, police and public health concerns?
Minister reply
Absolutely right to sit down and listen to local authorities about what is appropriate and deliver sensible solutions.
Question
Decanting asylum seekers from hotels does not solve the problem. When can I tell them that they will be allowed to start their legal process of immigration?
Minister reply
Stopping people coming here illegally in the first place is how we will solve the hotel problem, and our new legislation will deliver this.
Question
Warmly welcoming the Prime Minister’s action plan to tackle small boat crossings. Kettering's Royal Hotel has been designated as an asylum hotel; will the PM reassure my constituents that his plan announced today will be the quickest way to end the use of such hotel accommodation?
Minister reply
Our approach is the best way to relieve pressure on local services, including hotels, and return them to everyday use.
Question
Many asylum seekers across Teesside have been waiting for years for their applications to be processed. How many of them can expect a decision in the next few months?
Minister reply
With our new plan, we will cut the initial asylum backlog by the end of next year and people should get swift processing.
Laura Farris
Lab
Mossley Hill
Question
Congratulates the Minister on the agreement with Albania and inquires about measures to prevent people from concealing their true country of origin upon arrival, especially considering issues with channel crossings where people dispose of ID documents.
Minister reply
Reassures that British officials will be stationed at Tirana airport and Albanian officials at UK airports to handle the issue identified.
Alison Thewliss
SNP
Glasgow Central
Question
Asks why certain individuals from Afghanistan are waiting a long time for family reunions, criticises the Prime Minister's safe and legal routes as ineffective, and points out that many people come in boats because there is no legal route.
Minister reply
Explains that illegal migration puts pressure on the system but with new legislation to stop boat arrivals, processing times will improve.
Alun Cairns
Con
Vale of Glamorgan
Question
Welcomes the Prime Minister's statement and inquires about remaining open-minded to extend or tighten regulations as necessary to respond to people traffickers' ingenuity.
Minister reply
Agrees that being dynamic and nimble is essential to address new challenges presented by illegal migration.
Patrick Grady
SNP
Glasgow North
Question
Inquires about how much of the Prime Minister's announcement will be paid for out of the aid budget.
Minister reply
Explains that under OECD rules, the first year of resettlement costs is covered by international agreements on aid and highlights additional funding provided to support Ukrainians.
Jack Brereton
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent South
Question
Welcomes the Prime Minister's announcement but asks for more financial support to local services impacted by asylum seekers.
Minister reply
Acknowledges the council in Stoke and promises further engagement with them.
Richard Foord
Lib Dem
Honiton and Sidmouth
Question
Suggests embedding UK Border Force staff at Pristina airport given the porous border between Albania and Kosovo, which sees millions of crossings annually.
Minister reply
Acknowledges the suggestion and confirms UK officials are already working closely with Albanian authorities to disrupt illegal migration.
Selaine Saxby
Con
North Devon
Question
Thanks the Minister for his work, mentions local support in Ilfracombe for asylum seekers, and asks if reforms will streamline biometrics and interview appointments.
Minister reply
Commends the community's efforts and promises a system that is humane but swift and effective.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
Thanks the Prime Minister for his statement, suggests using private companies with expertise in preventing illegal crossings, and questions the ability to arrest those landing illegally under current law.
Minister reply
Agrees to look at all ways to make a difference and considers suggestions.
Edward Leigh
Con
Gainsborough
Question
Discusses a meeting on legal issues related to asylum seekers, the difficulties of arresting illegal arrivals under current legislation, and asks if derogation from the Refugee convention will be considered.
Minister reply
Promises a system where those who come illegally cannot stay here and can be removed to their home country or safe third countries.
Luke Evans
Con
Hinckley and Bosworth
Question
Thanks the Minister for following up on hotel allocations in Earl Shilton, mentions spending £5.5 million a day on this system, and asks about securing 10,000 spaces.
Minister reply
Promises to bring these sites at half the cost of hotels and deliver it quickly.
Caroline Johnson
Con
Sleaford and North Hykeham
Question
Welcomes plans for speedy processing but asks about capacity to move those with successful claims into permanent accommodation or remove unsuccessful claimants.
Minister reply
Promises swift processing, integration of successful claims in communities, and removal of unsuccessful ones through strengthened returns agreements.
Richard Fuller
Con
North Bedfordshire
Question
I welcome the Prime Minister’s comprehensive statement, including his willingness to reform assessment processes, but may I ask him about accountability? We see many Government processes to improve and achieve a policy outcome, but the public do not see those outcomes achieved. They are worried that officials and agencies are not held properly to account for achieving those objectives. What are his thoughts on achieving the policy outcomes he has outlined today?
Minister reply
I am confident because, in the Home Secretary and the Immigration Minister, we have a crack team. I know they will work tirelessly with their team to drive through the reforms announced today. My hon. Friend is right to hold us to account for that. Transparent metrics on processing are already published quarterly. People want to see flights returning people to Albania and elsewhere, and people coming out of hotels. That is what we want to deliver next year.
Question
The independent chief inspector of the UK Border Agency found in July 2006 that there was a backlog of between 400,000 and 450,000 cases. On that basis, this announcement is very welcome. I thank the Prime Minister for taking hold of this issue. When will we see an actual reduction in the number of people in hotels across the country? What capacity will we have to maintain those who claim asylum, and who have a valid claim, in facilities other than hotels across the UK?
Minister reply
The Immigration Minister, the Home Secretary and I are keen to deliver alternative sites as quickly as we can commercially negotiate and get them up and running. I want to see what my hon. Friend wants to see, which is people moving out of hotels and less pressure on local communities. That is the type of accommodation we want to deliver.
Question
I thank the Prime Minister and the Government for their great progress on this immigration action plan, particularly their progress with both the UNHCR and Albania. He will know that delivery is key. In Gloucester, we do not want the situation to be as it was in May 2010, when not only did my Labour predecessor refuse to hand over any casework files, but we subsequently found more than 4,000 asylum cases, some of which had been waiting for resolution for more than 10 years.
Minister reply
My hon. Friend makes a powerful point. I agree that we need to deliver now, and we have a plan in place. That is what we will focus on next year for his constituents and for the country. I am confident that we can do it.
Question
I refer my right hon. Friend to the point made by our right hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough (Sir Edward Leigh). Can he specifically confirm that the legislation to be introduced next year will deal with the impediment set up by the European convention on human rights?
Minister reply
Our legislation will deliver a system whereby a person who comes here illegally will have no right to stay and will be removed to their own country or a safe third-country alternative. I think that is a system the British people want to see, and it is the system our legislation will deliver.
Question
A person who enters this country illegally should have no right to stay here and should be swiftly deported—it really is as simple as that. I commend the Prime Minister for his bold statement in looking to legislate to that end. Does he agree that starting flights to Rwanda as soon as possible is absolutely integral to delivering this plan?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend put it clearly, succinctly and very well, and I completely agree with him. We are keen to restart those flights as soon as we can—we await the next stage of our legal proceedings—but he should be in no doubt but that we remain determined to make that policy work.
Question
I thank the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary for their renewed focus on this really key point, which matters a lot not just to my constituents in Dudley North, but across the country. I will again address the point my right hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough (Sir Edward Leigh) made and perhaps be a bit more specific with the question. If the Prime Minister’s future legislation is indeed scuppered by an intervention by the judiciary or human rights activists’ lawyers, will he have the political will to still force it through and implement what he intends to do?
Minister reply
First, I thank my hon. Friend for all his engagement with me and the Home Secretary on this issue. I know how important it is to his constituents, and I hope he is pleased by the steps we are taking today, but he is right that we need to go further. That is why our legislation will make it unequivocally clear that those who come here illegally have no right to stay, and his communities should be confident that that is what this Government will deliver.
Question
I thank my right hon. Friend for his personal attention to this matter. I welcome his ambition for a fair and effective system rooted in an understanding that the world has changed since the 1950s, but the devil is in the detail. On a practical point, dozens of hotels have short-term—three-month—contracts with the Home Office to deliver emergency accommodation for asylum seekers right across the UK. My concern and my residents’ concern is: will he reassure us, please, that these contracts will not simply be renewed quietly and simply rolled over, but will be subject to the same level of scrutiny that is promised on new contracts, including consultation with the MP, the council and local public services?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. I will make sure that the Home Office looks at these things not with the automaticity that he suggested might happen, but reviews them afresh and makes sure that they are still fit for purpose.
Question
I thank my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister for his significant engagement in recent weeks on this and other issues. For the benefit of my constituents across Workington, can he set out his expected timescales for, first, removal of the threat of unsuitable accommodation in Workington being used, and, secondly, flights leaving the ground to Rwanda?
Minister reply
What I can tell my hon. Friend’s constituents and community is that we want to deliver on this as soon as practically possible. Our new deal with Albania will take effect in a matter of weeks, so we will be able to swiftly return people—those who are already here and any new arrivals—back to Albania. He knows that we are keen to press on with finding new sites as soon as we can commercially negotiate them to take people out of hotels. Of course, with regard to Rwanda, we are waiting for the latest court judgment, but he should be in no doubt but that we want to deliver on that policy.
Greg Smith
Con
Mid Buckinghamshire
Question
I am grateful to the Prime Minister for making this a top priority, and I look forward to backing the legislation in the new year. Turning to the legislation we already have, there are significant powers of detention in the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. Will he look again at how we can implement those, at the very least for those who are accused of committing heinous crimes, particularly against children?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right. We do have new powers, particularly on the enforcement side. We are very keen to use them to strengthen the deterrent impact, but as he knows, we need to go further, and that is what our new legislation will do.
Ben Spencer
Con
Runnymede and Weybridge
Question
I very warmly welcome my right hon. Friend’s announcement today, and he is absolutely right. People living in Runnymede and Weybridge want to see fairness in the system, which this announcement will deliver. I particularly welcome the new returns agreement with Albania. Does he agree that what will cut the Gordian knot is having multiple returns agreements with multiple countries, so that when people’s applications are processed and found wanting, they can be returned swiftly?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. As a matter of priority, we are looking at those countries with which we already have returns agreements, but where we are not sufficiently able to send people back. We will renew our diplomatic efforts to make that a priority, but also use visa penalties, where appropriate, to get the outcomes that we need.
Question
I welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement and the personal attention he has devoted to this issue. My constituents continue to be concerned about the use of the Novotel in Ipswich, which is on a 12-month contract; I thought it was six, the Home Office told me it was six, but it turned out to be 12—but that is by the bye. I welcome the move towards cheaper and more basic accommodation, but can the Prime Minister indicate when my constituents will get a timescale for when the Novotel can be back in proper use?
Minister reply
I share the frustration of my hon. Friend and his constituents that their local hotel, like so many others, is currently being used to house illegal migrants. That is wrong and we want to stop it as quickly as we can. The Immigration Minister is working on finding alternative sites as fast as possible, but we also want to stop the flow of new illegal migrants so that there is not unsustainable pressure on our local services. That is what my hon. Friend and his community want, and that is what we will deliver.
Question
Earlier this year my local paper, the Leigh Journal, wrote about the human misery inflicted on the constituency of Leigh by a Balkan organised crime group that was engaging in people trafficking, but we have heard from some in the Opposition today that there is “no such thing as an illegal asylum seeker”. Does my right hon. Friend agree that that is sadly not the case and that we have to face reality if we are to deal with this issue?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend makes an excellent and very clear point. At issue today is illegal migration, which has significantly increased in the past couple of years and is putting unsustainable pressure on our local communities and public services. It must end, and our reforms are a significant step forward in delivering that outcome.
Question
Having been briefly the Minister for tackling illegal migration this summer, I warmly welcome the Prime Minister’s statement. Can he provide more details on how the new small boats operational command will help to ensure that no small boat can arrive undetected on our shores?
Minister reply
I thank my hon. Friend for his support of our approach. The new small boat operational command will bring together our civilian capabilities, our military and the NCA in a more unified way than before and supplement that with new technology—aerial or land-based surveillance, drones and radar—and in doing all that will be able to maintain an exceptionally high interception rate and increase the level of prosecutions we currently see. I know that is something he will want to see happen.
Jonathan Gullis
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent North
Question
The people of Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke will warmly welcome the Prime Minister’s statement, albeit cautiously because they want to see delivery on the ground. The MP criticises Labour Members for being absent during the majority of the statement and points out that over 19,000 people have signed a petition titled “End Serco’s Abuse of Stoke-on-Trent” due to concerns about Serco's use of hotels in the area. He asks if the Prime Minister will agree with his constituents and end Serco’s use of hotels.
Minister reply
The minister thanks the hon. Friend for the way he and his local community have approached the problem, expressing support for people who need refuge. The minister acknowledges that pressure on hotels must be relieved but emphasises the Government's plan to deliver this relief. He also reiterates the goal of ending boat arrivals.
Shadow Comment
Keir Starmer
Shadow Comment
Channel crossings are a serious problem requiring serious solutions but the Government has not provided effective action. Over 40,000 people have crossed this year with only 2% of claims processed. I welcome the commitment to fast-track clearly unfounded claims and more staff for processing. However, there is a root cause: criminal gangs are sending these people to risk their lives. For months we have been calling for action to tackle this root cause: a specialist cell in the National Crime Agency to catch, prosecute and disband criminal gangs. The money being wasted on the unworkable plan to deport people to Rwanda (£140 million) does not work as a deterrent.
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