This month, the Nationality and Borders Bill completed its passage through the House of Commons. Several constituents have written in with questions and opinions on the Bill. The Bill will implement many of the measures outlined in the Government’s New Plan for Immigration, which was open to public consultation earlier this year. The three main objectives of the Bill, and the underlying Plan, are:
• To increase the fairness of the system to better protect and support those in need of asylum
• To deter illegal entry into the United Kingdom, thereby breaking the business model of people smuggling networks and protecting the lives of those they endanger
• To remove those with no right to be in the UK more easily.
The tragic drowning of migrants in the Channel at the end of November highlighted yet again the danger of crossing the Channel by small boat and the ruthlessness of people smugglers. Although there is no quick or simple way to fix this issue, there are two key factors to ending these dangerous crossings: immediate operational and diplomatic work to stop the boats, and changes to the UK’s asylum system to remove the ‘pull’ factors.
By cracking down on illegal immigration, we can protect those in danger of being trafficked and prioritise those in genuine need. Our country has a proud record of helping those fleeing persecution and we are a global leader in refugee resettlement, having resettled more than 25,000 vulnerable refugees directly from regions of conflict and instability over the past six years.
The launch of a new global UK Resettlement Scheme will continue this proud record, and our New Plan for Immigration also strengthens support for refugees to build their lives once in the UK. This includes £14 million of funding to help refugees integrate through learning English, moving into work, accessing housing, and building links in their local communities.
