Contributions
1,321 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNationality and Borders Bill (Second sitting)Q Thank you for your evidence so far. Earlier we heard from Jon Featonby of the Red Cross that there was only one clause in the Bill that would directly impact smugglers…21 Sept 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders Bill (Second sitting)Q Sure. I would challenge very little of that. The issue we have on this side of the fence is that a lot of the evidence is that some of the deterrents in the Bill, which are…21 Sept 2021HANSARDDraft Introduction and the Import of Cultural Goods (Revocation) Regulations 2021It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hosie. I would have been tempted to vote against the regulations, but in the circumstances, I will settle for a short…14 Sept 2021HANSARDAfghanistan PolicyFirst, let me welcome the Minister to her new role and join her in paying tribute to all those involved in getting people to safety from Afghanistan. We know from the Syrian…13 Sept 2021HANSARDAfghanistan: FCDO UpdateThe Government’s Nationality and Borders Bill would see hundreds, possibly thousands, of Afghan asylum seekers arriving in this country in the months ahead and being prosecuted in…06 Sept 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillWill the hon. Gentleman give way?20 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillWhat the hon. Member is advocating and what the Government have in this Bill is a criminal offence punishable by up to four years in prison that would apply to a Uyghur fleeing…20 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillThe Bill has seven placeholder clauses—something I have never seen before—so the House will not see what the Government are up to until the Committee stage where most Members will…20 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillTo bring things a little more up to date, if we are looking at the statistics about who is in these boats crossing the channel, the nationalities are Iranian, Iraqi, Syrian,…20 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillEven on its own terms, that will not work. There is not a shred of evidence in the world that tinkering with the asylum system discourages people from coming to claim asylum. In…20 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillThe most important thing is to have a sense of perspective. Everyone supports safe, legal routes, but even in a good year, pre covid—I think the figure was about 25,000 last…20 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders Billrose—20 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillThe Minister talks of what the public expect, but one thing I do not think they would expect is for this Government to create a criminal offence that would see a Uyghur fleeing…20 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillI have a lot of respect for the hon. Member, particularly for his stance on immigration detention and his campaigning for time limits on it. The Home Secretary talks about…19 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillPerhaps the hon. Gentleman can join our delegation tomorrow, because what we seek and what the cross-party Home Affairs Committee has advised is that the Home Office properly fund…19 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillIs no one on the Conservative Benches remotely concerned that the Bill would see a Uyghur fleeing persecution in China, a Syrian fleeing disastrous war crimes in that country or a…19 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillWell, the dentistry profession and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees say that it is not accurate and it is entirely unethical. The Home Secretary is also making it…19 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillMy hon. Friend makes a good point. There are all sorts of problems with provisions in the Bill that penalise late disclosure of information, which can very often be the case in…19 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillAbsolutely, as there is in Canada. Members from all parties in this House, sitting on the Front Benches and the Back Benches, regularly speak up for some of the most oppressed…19 Jul 2021HANSARDNationality and Borders BillI am afraid that I regard this as a dreadful Bill, and the Refugee Council was absolutely right to characterise it as the “anti-refugee” Bill. There are eight welcome clauses on…19 Jul 2021