Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Channel Crossings

Monday 22 November 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • UK Government addressing illegal migration through comprehensive reform for the first time in decades.
  • Nationality and Borders Bill impacts asylum claim processing and status based on legal entry method.
  • Bill aims to break the business model of traffickers and address aspects of asylum, processing, deportation, and fast-track removals.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Edward Leigh Con Gainsborough
Migrants & Borders Brexit
Context

The issue of illegal migration has become a significant challenge for the UK Government.

Question

What progress her Department has made on tackling illegal migrant channel crossings. The questioner notes that this is an urgent national emergency, and he references previous promises to regain control over borders as part of Brexit. He asks if the government will introduce emergency powers to override the Human Rights Act in order to address the issue.

Answer from Priti Patel

The UK Government are addressing the challenge of illegal migration for the first time in decades through comprehensive reform. Whether someone enters the UK legally or illegally will impact how their asylum claim is processed and on their status if successful. The Nationality and Borders Bill addresses points about asylum, processing, deportation, and fast-track removals to break the business model of traffickers.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific request for emergency powers Act was not directly addressed

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Q2 Edward Leigh Con Gainsborough
Immigration Brexit
Context

The questioner refers to previous promises made during the Brexit referendum about taking back control of borders. He argues that by failing to address illegal migration effectively, these promises have not been fulfilled.

Question

At the referendum, us Brexiteers told the people that we would take back control. It is clear that, in this aspect, we have lost control. If we tell the most desperate economic migrants in the world, “We will provide a free border taxi service across the channel, we will never deport you and we will put you up in a hotel for as long as you like”, is it any wonder that more and more come? This is now a national emergency. Will the Home Secretary introduce an emergency powers Act to override the Human Rights Act, if necessary, and put people in secure accommodation now?

Answer from Priti Patel

My right hon. Friend will be well versed in the work that we are doing through the Nationality and Borders Bill, which speaks to the points he has been making about asylum, processing, deportation and fast-track removals, and which, importantly, will ensure that we break the business model of traffickers who are smuggling people into the United Kingdom.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific request for emergency powers Act was not directly addressed

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