Contributions
1,438 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)The Opposition have asked which bits of the commander’s functions may be delegated and to what level. In theory, it can be any of them. We are trying to ensure that there are no…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)Will the hon. Gentleman not take my word that the offences will be intelligence-led? They are not targeting all asylum seekers, but they certainly would target someone coming over…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)My hon. Friend is right that circumstances often crop up that require this kind of provision. All clause 7 does is allow it, so I commend the clause to the Committee. Question put…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Third sitting)My hon. Friend is exactly right. Under section 6 of the Human Rights Act, all office holders implicitly have to follow the rules of the European convention on human rights. One…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)1971.04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Third sitting)Not for the first time today, I agree with my hon. Friend. When the time comes, we will be voting against this new clause.04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Third sitting)It is quite revealing that the hon. Gentleman seems to think that the natural order of things is for Ministers to be at loggerheads with civil servants and the people who are…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Third sitting)It is fairly astonishing to have a new clause that puts the Border Security Commander in charge of the entire asylum and deportation systems and asks him, in legislation, to…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stuart. It will be the first occasion of many, I am sure. I hope you enjoy chairing Bill Committees as much as I enjoyed…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)Clause 6 places a duty on the Border Security Commander to establish and maintain a board to assist with the exercise of their functions. That unique forum enables senior…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)Clause 8 is clearly there in the event of the commander being incapacitated or ill and unable to do the job for a while. It is not unusual that people have life experiences that…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)Clause 10 states that the duties in this chapter of the Bill do not apply to the armed forces, clause 11 makes amendments to the Data Protection Act 2018, and clause 12 provides…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Third sitting)I am not massively familiar with the Scottish statute book.04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Third sitting)Yes. I was going to talk about what new clause 21 suggests we should do. For example, the subsection on asylum processing seems to say that the Border Security Commander should…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Third sitting)I feel I ought to intervene and separate the combatants. I reassure the hon. Member for Perth and Kinross-shire—especially given the pronouncements from some in the previous…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)Clause 7 ensures that the functions of the Border Security Commander can be delegated to an authorised civil servant when required. Flexibility in the exercise of these functions…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)I set out in some detail in my reply on the previous clause some of the things that the commander is involved with, including some of the meetings he is involved in convening and…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)The hon. Member asked why the Border Security Commander should be processing data collected from electronic devices. He will know that later in the Bill, there are some new powers…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Second sitting)Q We are taking evidence to see whether people think these things will be effective. I am not asking you to produce a crystal ball and tell us in advance, but I am trying to get a…27 Feb 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Second sitting)Q Is it desirable to use counter-terrorism-style powers to disrupt so that we can prevent some of these crossings from happening rather than waiting until after people have died…27 Feb 2025