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Windrush Compensation Scheme
23 June 2020
Lead MP
Priti Patel
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
Taxation
Other Contributors: 57
At a Glance
Priti Patel raised concerns about windrush compensation scheme 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:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
Yesterday, we celebrated Windrush Day marking the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury docks in 1948. The individuals on this ship and their descendants have contributed greatly to British society but faced institutional failings across successive governments. Priti Patel apologised for these injustices and outlined the government's response including the establishment of a dedicated vulnerable persons team, the Windrush taskforce, and a compensation scheme that has made over 12,000 grants of documentation and awarded more than £360,000 in compensation. She committed to continue supporting those affected by providing resources as needed.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Yesterday, we celebrated Windrush Day marking the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury docks in 1948. The individuals on this ship and their descendants have contributed greatly to British society but faced institutional failings across successive governments. Priti Patel apologised for these injustices and outlined the government's response including the establishment of a dedicated vulnerable persons team, the Windrush taskforce, and a compensation scheme that has made over 12,000 grants of documentation and awarded more than £360,000 in compensation. She committed to continue supporting those affected by providing resources as needed.
Torfaen
The Windrush generation's contribution to national life is immense, but they faced racism and mistreatment. The Wendy Williams report exposes the Home Office's callousness and incompetence, leading to deep injustice and recommending a change in culture rooted in fairness and diversity.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
The Home Secretary apologises for the Windrush scandal and commits to changing the Home Office's culture. She agrees that action is needed but emphasises the need for time and collaboration with Wendy Williams and other stakeholders to implement recommendations properly.
Complements the Home Secretary’s approach and welcomes the cross-Government working group, inquiring about its complementarity with the race equality commission headed by Munira Mirza.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Ms Patel defended the Government's actions, stating that Wendy Williams' report outlined recommendations that evolved under previous Labour and coalition Governments. She acknowledged the complexity of the issue and promised to return to the House before the summer recess with specifics on implementing the recommendations.
Gillingham
Mr Clarke-Smith emphasised the UK's welcoming attitude towards immigrants, praising their contributions. He asked the Home Secretary about improving uptake and awareness of support schemes for those affected by Windrush injustices.
Yvette Cooper
Lab
Castleford and Knottingley
Ms Cooper welcomed the Home Secretary's commitment to accepting all recommendations but questioned the current compensation scheme, highlighting cases of individuals who have been waiting for compensation or died without receiving it. She called for an increase in staffing to expedite payments.
Aaron Bell
Con
Middlesbrough
Mr Bell welcomed the Home Secretary’s statement and asked for reassurance that addressing Windrush injustices is her highest priority, acknowledging the importance of fairness in an immigration system.
Rushanara Ali
Lab
Bethnal Green and Stepney
Ms Ali condemned the Government's hostile environment policy as institutional racism and urged immediate action to implement Wendy Williams' review recommendations and provide urgent compensation to those affected.
Steve Double
Con
Welcomed the Home Secretary's emphasis on community engagement in addressing the Windrush matter, asking if church leaders will continue to be engaged.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Emphasised the importance of working with communities and their representatives from the bottom up to rebuild trust. She highlighted that the Home Office has broken down trust due to previous treatment, necessitating a collaborative approach.
Tan Dhesi
Lab
Slough
Critiqued the Conservative Government's compensation process for Windrush victims, noting that despite demands from Members and community organisations, only 60 out of 1,275 claims have been paid, with many waiting over a year. He described the government as callous.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Disagreed with Tan Dhesi's tone and comments, referring to Wendy Williams' report which shows that lessons should be learned by all political parties. She acknowledged the need for cultural reform within the Home Office.
Tim Loughton
Con
Welcomed the Home Secretary's personal commitment to finding solutions and implementing Wendy Williams' 30 recommendations. He asked about evidence of deep cultural reform in 12-24 months.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Acknowledged the need for long-term cultural changes within the Home Office, including a focus on diversity and representation. She committed to addressing social injustices and inequalities faced by the Windrush community.
Kate Osamor
Lab Co-op
Edmonton and Winchmore Hill
Asked for transparency regarding criteria used in determining compensation claims, citing a BBC drama based on her constituent's experience with wrongful detention and deportation threats. She requested a full payment deadline.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Acknowledged the interim compensation paid to Kate Osamor’s constituent but emphasised ongoing work in providing justice through compensation, stressing the need for individualized case understanding.
Stephen Metcalfe
Con
Expressed regret over injustice allowed towards the Windrush generation and sought assurance that his Department would ensure justice for them.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Reaffirmed commitment to addressing injustices and social inequalities through compensation, community support, and cultural reforms within the Home Office.
Tonia Antoniazzi
Lab
Gower
Critiqued current government policies for fostering institutional racism beyond just the Home Office. She questioned public trust in lessons learned by this government given historical context.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Asserted her commitment to implementing review recommendations and ensuring justice for Windrush victims despite broader criticisms of institutional racism.
Luke Evans
Con
Hinckley and Bosworth
Expressed gratitude towards the Home Secretary's proactive approach in addressing issues raised by Wendy Williams' report. He asked about assessment of progress made so far and measures to minimize delays in decision making.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Defended the compensation scheme, highlighting that it takes time to ensure proper assessment and that processes are being worked on to speed up.
Criticised the Home Secretary for delays in compensating a constituent who lost his job and has been waiting nearly two years for compensation of over £60,000.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Offered to look into Carol Monaghan's specific case and welcomed her to contact her office with the details.
Asked for an update on a solution for foreign and Commonwealth armed forces veterans who have slipped through the net in applying for indefinite leave to remain, expressing gratitude towards the Home Secretary's work.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Acknowledged James Sunderland’s comments and offered to follow up with him regarding foreign and Commonwealth armed forces veterans issue.
Alistair Carmichael
Lib Dem
Orkney and Shetland
Called for a list of irrational immigration policies that need to be eliminated, criticising the systemic issues in Home Office's approach towards Windrush generation.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Stated her priority is implementing Windrush recommendations and simplifying the complex immigration system to ensure it is firm but fair.
Thanked the Home Secretary for recognising the contribution of his parents’ generation and asked for assurance that lessons have been learned from the mistakes made with the Windrush generation.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Expressed gratitude towards Darren Henry's family and highlighted the positive contributions of immigrant communities to the country, including their involvement during the pandemic.
Mohammad Yasin
Lab
Bedford
Discussed a constituent who faced difficulties proving his right to work for nearly 12 years after being wrongly told he did not have it, and questioned whether £1000 compensation was enough.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Offered to review Mohammad Yasin's case in further detail if provided with additional information.
Congratulated the Home Secretary on her commitment and highlighted the invaluable contribution of individuals from migrant communities during the pandemic, specifically regarding health services.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Confirmed that work is underway to ensure those applying for visas will not pay the immigration surcharge on healthcare and mid-application refunds are being processed.
Nadia Whittome
Lab
Nottingham East
Questioned why hostile environment policies such as deportation, no recourse to public funds, and others remain in place despite causing racial discrimination.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Reiterated her commitment to simplifying the immigration system to make it firm but fair, implying policy changes will be made.
Bob Blackman
Con
Harrow East
Asked whether individuals from Commonwealth countries who feel they have been wrongly treated can also apply for the compensation scheme and requested numbers of such applications.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Confirmed that people from various Commonwealth countries were affected, including Pakistan and India, and offered to share information with the House.
Barry Gardiner
Lab
Brent West
Discussed a constituent's prolonged struggle to prove his right to reside in the UK despite arriving freely as a child in 1962 and expressed frustration over lack of compensation.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Offered to work with Barry Gardiner on his constituent's case, asking for background details to facilitate review and answer questions.
Toby Perkins
Lab
Chesterfield
The Home Secretary conflated the Windrush generation with people who were here illegally, which caused public outrage. The Home Secretary is committed to addressing cases personally but needs more resources to process them without having to handle them herself.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Acknowledged the challenges with the compensation scheme and emphasised her personal involvement due to the scale of injustices. She committed to not delegating responsibility and focusing on providing justice to individuals through a bespoke scheme.
Caroline Nokes
Con
Romsey and Southampton North
Complimented the Home Secretary's efforts on the compensation scheme but urged for faster decision rates. She also asked if the scheme would be extended beyond April 2023.
Asked the Home Secretary about exact actions to change government culture and unpick the hostile environment policy after she admitted institutional racism by successive UK Governments.
Robert Goodwill
Con
Scarborough and Whitby
Appreciated the Home Office's swift resolution of a constituent’s case and emphasised that lessons from Windrush have been learned, leading to quick and sympathetic responses.
Margaret Hodge
Lab
Barking
Shared details about her constituent Sarah O'Connor's tragic experience with the Windrush scandal and questioned whether complexity or dysfunction was delaying compensation claims.
Andrew Griffith
Con
Arundel and South Downs
Suggested that fully compensating affected individuals while remembering Government’s limitations would be wise, referencing previous administrative failings.
Paul Blomfield
Lab
Sheffield Central
Asked for updates on community-based alternatives to immigration detention and urged the Home Secretary to end indefinite detention as part of cultural change.
Drew Hendry
SNP
Inverness N & Ross
Requested an apology from the Home Secretary for the hostile environment's role in the Windrush scandal and asked her to review measures urgently.
Barbara Keeley
Lab
Worsley and Eccles South
Critiqued the slow progress of compensation claims, questioned the bureaucracy involved, and requested easier access for claimants to compensation.
Robbie Moore
Con
Keighley and Ilkley
Welcomed the Home Secretary's statement, expressed regret over injustices faced by the Windrush generation, and urged her to ensure justice for all affected members.
Priti Patel
Con
Witham
Acknowledged the scale of injustice and cultural changes required within the Home Office. Emphasised the need to learn lessons collectively and make necessary changes iteratively to serve justice.
Asked about the average cost a victim would incur for obtaining medical, HMRC, and Home Office records to support compensation claims.
Expressed sadness over Windrush cases and urged the Home Secretary to ensure that such injustices never occur again.
Rachel Hopkins
Lab
Luton South and South Bedfordshire
Highlighted the importance of teaching Britain’s colonial history as part of a wider strategy to tackle institutional racism. Inquired about the Home Office's educational programme on this matter.
Commended Bishop Derek Webley for his work and suggested reaching out to other community leaders like Bishop Desmond Jaddoo to address issues disproportionately affecting BAME communities.
Government Response
The Home Office aims to implement the Wendy Williams recommendations and collaborate across Government. The Windrush compensation scheme, despite delays, offers a fair approach through HMRC reviews. The Home Secretary defended the Government's actions, promised a return with specifics on implementing Wendy Williams' report recommendations before the summer recess, and outlined steps taken in compensation schemes. Acknowledged challenges with the Windrush generation's compensation scheme and committed to personal involvement. Stressed the bespoke nature of the scheme, designed in collaboration with the community, ensuring individualised justice. Acknowledged the complexity of documentation required for compensation claims, committed to simplifying processes if possible. Noted progress made on awareness and education within the Home Office regarding race and history.
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