Contributions
232 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Tenth sitting)This is another rare moment of general agreement with the hon. Members for Stockton West and for Weald of Kent. We will savour this moment. I will make some quick points on the…13 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Tenth sitting)It is worth noting that, prior to February 2019, there was a six-month standard time. That was abandoned by the previous Government around the same time that they decided to open…13 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Tenth sitting)Does the hon. Member realise how ironic it is for him to be lecturing us on British citizenship when he does not particularly want his?13 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Ninth sitting)I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East for making a compelling argument around the balance between our decency and humanity and not creating a pull factor that…13 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Tenth sitting)To go back to what the Minister said, does the hon. Gentleman acknowledge that the UNHCR schemes do precisely that?13 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Seventh sitting)Is the hon. Gentleman aware that, prior to section 29 coming into law, Home Office figures show that up to 73% of foreign national offenders were using modern slavery as a means…11 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Seventh sitting)Does the hon. Gentleman also realise that under compelling circumstances, if there is evidence that they have been victims of modern slavery, those who have been convicted and…11 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Seventh sitting)Does the hon. Gentleman acknowledge that the crossings have risen from 299 in 2018 to more than 150,000 since then, the majority of them on the Conservatives’ watch? Does he also…11 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Seventh sitting)I thank the hon. Member for Stockton West for his creative statement. The chaos in our asylum system and the dangerous rise in illegal small boat crossings is, of course, one of…11 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fifth sitting)I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. He makes the powerful point that the French need to be engaged with diplomatically rather than being bashed on social media, which…06 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fifth sitting)I will respond to some of the points that the hon. Member for Stockton West has just made, starting with the point about the French. Under the last Government, we saw what…06 Mar 2025HANSARDEngagementsThese are delicate moments for the country, and the Prime Minister has led with British values, moral courage and decency, as a true statesman, and with skilled and careful…05 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Third sitting)I think the new clause is more of a political point than a constructive addition to the Bill. I am new to Parliament, but I think Bill Committees can be really useful. This new…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)I will quickly talk about this clause, because it is one of my favourite clauses in the Bill. Having worked in a counter-terror role in the past, I know that one of the most…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)His speech—my apologies; I will not make that mistake again. It is really important that we look at what is covered in the Bill, and how it enables our Border Security Command,…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)Thank you for your passionate speech; I am sure it gripped us all—04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)I have an important intervention on that point. The Russians invading Ukraine and going further into Europe would create a much more serious refugee crisis than the one we are…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Fourth sitting)Will the hon. Member give way?04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Third sitting)It is important to note that measures of success can change. Legislating for that might mean that, in a decade, we are wasting the time of the Border Security Command and its…04 Mar 2025HANSARDBorder Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill (Third sitting)I apologise for my lack of timely bobbing earlier, Dr Murrison. I draw attention to the Home Secretary’s statement at the very top of the Bill: “In my view the provisions of the…04 Mar 2025