Thank you for the kind invitation to attend the event ‘Our Immigration System’ on 15th October. While I was unable to make this particular event, a member of my team did attend on my behalf. Please be assured I will continue to apprise myself of any developments in this policy area.
The UK is a signatory of both the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. These conventions place obligations regarding migrants’ rights on the UK Government and I am proud of the UK’s history providing protection to those who need it, in accordance with these obligations.
I am pleased that the new Labour Government has begun the second stage of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Pathway. This phase will help reunite Afghans who have been resettled in the UK under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme with their families. I understand that eligible individuals can submit an expression of interest for a spouse or unmarried partners or their dependent children aged under-18 at the time of the evacuation. Additional family members may be considered in exceptional circumstances.
I do, however, recognise that uncontrolled migration, including cases of small boats crossing the Channel, is illegal, dangerous, and unnecessary. This type of migration is unfair on those who are in genuine need with our country’s finite capacity being taken up by people coming into the UK from a place of safety in France. I also understand the concerns many have that illegal immigration is unfair on the British public.
Thanks to the measures brought forward by the previous Government, migrant returns in the year from June 2023 to June 2024 rose by a fifth, enforced returns rose by a half, irregular arrivals fell by 26 per cent and there was a 36 per cent reduction in the asylum backlog.
Regarding the Bibby Stockholm, it plays an important part in reducing the unsustainable pressure on the UK's asylum system and cuts the cost to the taxpayer caused by the significant increase in small boat crossings. Following the decision to not renew its contract, I understand the 400 asylum seekers will now be moved to hotel accommodation.
For what is certain is that criminal people smuggling gangs will continue to provide small boat transport across the Channel. That is why I continue to believe that the UK needs a deterrent.
This was also recommended by the independent National Crime Agency, in order to discourage people from paying the criminal gangs of people smugglers who profit at the peril of others; to prevent people from leaving the safe country that is France, on the assumption of a soft-touch approach here in the UK; and to protect our already overburdened public services and housing supply.
I was deeply disappointed by the Government’s decision to scrap the essential deterrent that their predecessors put in place, which would have seen migrants having their asylum seeker applications processed in a country that is considered safe in both parliamentary statute and international law.
The Labour Government’s decision to scrap this plan is creating, in the words of the former Chief Immigration Officer for Calais and Dunkirk, “open season” for small boat people smuggling. It is, therefore, no surprise that more than 10,000 people have illegally crossed the Channel in the few short months since this Government came into office.
I understand immigration engenders strong views on both sides of the argument and, as unsustainably high levels of illegal immigration continue across Europe and into the UK, we will need to be both pragmatic as well as compassionate.
