Contributions
1,139 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe UK is working closely with France to reduce illegal small boat crossings over the channel. Over the past year, those efforts have produced results. Today, I was in Paris with…14 Nov 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe Afghan citizens resettlement scheme, which commenced on 6 January 2022, will see up to 20,000 at-risk people resettled to the United Kingdom. If my hon. Friend sends me the…14 Nov 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe reality is that the accommodation pressure that we are seeing today is a symptom of the broader problem of unprecedented numbers of people arriving here illegally, at a level…14 Nov 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend is right that there is a real need for a multi-pronged approach. It is not quite right that countries like Germany or Sweden do not accept asylum applications;…14 Nov 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI do not believe that this is throwing good money after bad because, as I said, this year alone we have seen 30,000 successful interventions by the French to stop attempts to…14 Nov 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI have visited our clandestine command and control team, headed up by Dan O’Mahoney and Border Force officials, and we have a military presence. Some very impressive technology is…14 Nov 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI thank my hon. Friend and other honourable colleagues for their important campaigning to ventilate this issue. He speaks not only with passion, but with a deep understanding of…14 Nov 2022HANSARDIrregular Migration: Small Boat CrossingsToday I am updating Parliament on an innovative arrangement between the UK and France to strengthen our bilateral partnership to tackle illegal migration at the shared border,…14 Nov 2022HANSARDManchester Arena Inquiry ReportToday the Manchester Arena inquiry has published volume 2 of its report, which has been laid before the House. The report can be found at www.manchesterarenainquiry.org.uk and on…03 Nov 2022HANSARDWestern Jet Foil and Manston Asylum Processing CentresI confirm that I have not ever ignored legal advice. The Law Officers’ convention, which I still take seriously, means that I will not comment on the contents of legal advice that…31 Oct 2022HANSARDWestern Jet Foil and Manston Asylum Processing CentresI will not bore the Chamber by repeating my answer to a question that I have now been asked on several occasions. The hon. Gentleman will be able to check the record for the…31 Oct 2022HANSARDWestern Jet Foil and Manston Asylum Processing CentresI refer the hon. Gentleman to the letter I sent today, which sets out all the details of the actions, the decisions and the rationale behind the events of 19 October. I have…31 Oct 2022HANSARDWestern Jet Foil and Manston Asylum Processing CentresI could not agree more with my hon. Friend. He identifies exactly the problem we are dealing with, and it needs a multifaceted approach that includes deploying and…31 Oct 2022HANSARDWestern Jet Foil and Manston Asylum Processing CentresI will tell the hon. Gentleman what I find offensive and disturbing. It is the sight of thousands of people coming to these shores illegally without a valid asylum claim, taking…31 Oct 2022HANSARDWestern Jet Foil and Manston Asylum Processing CentresWhat a great question from my hon. Friend, and he is absolutely right. What is more, we are identifying, particularly with the young, single men who are coming from Albania, that…31 Oct 2022HANSARDWestern Jet Foil and Manston Asylum Processing CentresI have to disagree with the hon. Gentleman’s characterisation of what I have just said. I do not criticise my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witham (Priti…31 Oct 2022HANSARDWestern Jet Foil and Manston Asylum Processing CentresWe have already several safe and legal routes through which people who are genuine asylum seekers can make the application. As I have said, I am proud of our record of welcoming…31 Oct 2022HANSARDWestern Jet Foil and Manston Asylum Processing CentresMy hon. Friend raises an important point. I speak to our heroic Border Force officials on a regular basis and they tell me about their first-hand experience. What they have seen…31 Oct 2022HANSARDWestern Jet Foil and Manston Asylum Processing CentresI am keen to ensure that we honour our manifesto commitment, which is to bring overall migration figures down and clamp down on the scourge of illegal migration. I am keen to…31 Oct 2022HANSARDWestern Jet Foil and Manston Asylum Processing CentresMy hon. Friend hits on a really important aspect of the problem, which is people who are coming here and claiming to be children. We have seen this trend over several years. What…31 Oct 2022