Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Rwanda Relocation Scheme: Supreme Court Judgment

Monday 27 November 2023 · 5 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 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The funding from the Home Office for the Rwanda relocation scheme will be reported in the usual way, with costs to be updated for the House.
  • The Home Secretary acknowledged that the number of Opposition Members contributing to migration questions is small.
  • The Home Secretary stated that there is an urgency to implement legislation related to the Rwanda scheme, ruling out pre-legislative scrutiny that could delay its implementation.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Steven Bonnar
Asylum & Refugees
Context

The Supreme Court issued a judgment on November 15, 2023, concerning the Rwanda relocation scheme. The ruling has implications for government policies.

Question

What recent assessment has been made of the implications for government policies of the Supreme Court judgment of 15 November 2023 on the Rwanda relocation scheme?

Answer from James Cleverly

The funding from the Home Office will be reported in the usual, appropriate way. I do not have the figures to hand, but I will make sure the House is updated on the costs. The hon. Gentleman seems to misunderstand how one responds to a legal judgment. He describes it as “overriding,” but I suggest that when the Government address the issues set down by the Supreme Court, they will not be overriding but respecting the voice of the Supreme Court.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific figures requested were avoided and only a commitment to provide them in the future was given.

How: Under Review, Will Make Sure The House Is Updated

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Q2 Steven Bonnar
Asylum & Refugees
Context

The Home Office has spent £1.4 million on failed legal challenges and paid the Rwandan government £140 million towards the relocation scheme, but no asylum seekers have been sent to Rwanda yet.

Question

So far, the UK has paid the Rwandan Government £140 million and the Home Office has spent £1.4 million on failed legal challenges, with no asylum seekers being sent there as of yet. How much has the Home Office spent in total on the Rwanda scheme? Can the Secretary of State give us a figure, please?

Answer from James Cleverly

The funding from the Home Office will be reported in the usual, appropriate way. I do not have the figures to hand, but I will make sure the House is updated on the costs.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific amount requested was avoided and only a commitment to provide it later was given.

How: Will Make Sure The House Is Updated

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Q3 Julian Lewis Con New Forest East
Immigration Democracy & Elections
Context

The MP notes a low number of Opposition members contributing to questions on migration and highlights concerns about far-right politicians gaining power if democracies do not address illegal migration.

Question

Has the Home Secretary been struck, as I have, by the very small number of Opposition Members standing to contribute to questions on migration? Does he agree that, if democracies both within the EU and, like ourselves, outside the EU cannot find a solution to this problem, we will see the increasing emergence of far-right politicians in positions of power?

Answer from James Cleverly

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. Countries across the continent are now looking at us in order to emulate the actions we are taking. Illegal migration has gone from something that the Labour party believed was a non-issue to being a core issue for Governments across Europe and North America.

Not addressed: The specific question about political support for policies was not directly answered, instead focusing on general statements regarding illegal immigration.

How: Changing Subject

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Q4 Diana R. Johnson Lab Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham
Parliamentary Procedure
Context

The Home Affairs Committee has produced a report on small-boat crossings, visited France and Belgium to study migration issues, and expressed interest in carrying out pre-legislative scrutiny.

Question

Owing to our interest and expertise in this area, will the Home Secretary consider giving the Home Affairs Committee and the Joint Committee on Human Rights the opportunity to carry out pre-legislative scrutiny of any emergency legislation that he plans to bring forward?

Answer from James Cleverly

There is an urgency to the legislation that we seek to put forward and, although pre-legislative scrutiny has a part to play, I will not do anything that delays the implementation of this incredibly important legislation.

Not addressed: The specific request for pre-legislative scrutiny was avoided in favour of highlighting the urgency of implementing the legislation.

How: Changing Subject

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Q5 Simon Clarke Con
Asylum & Refugees
Context

The MP believes that operationalising the Rwanda scheme is crucial to cracking down on illegal migration via small boats.

Question

It is imperative if we are to crack the business model of the evil people smugglers that we operationalise the Rwanda scheme. May I register my profound conviction that the disapplication of elements of the European convention on human rights and the refugee convention will be necessary? The Court of Appeal cited human rights and the Supreme Court cited refoulement. What will it be next time, in the absence of Parliament expressly asserting the will of this House?

Answer from James Cleverly

My right hon. Friend makes an incredibly important point, although I do not want to prejudge the content of the Bill. I listened carefully to his points, and he and the rest of the House should understand that we will do everything we can to ensure that we break the business model of the evil people smugglers he highlights and drive down the small-boat arrivals.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific legal challenges mentioned were not directly addressed, focusing instead on general commitments to combat illegal immigration.

How: Changing Subject

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