Safety of Rwanda Bill: progress of the bill

The House of Commons will again consider Lords amendments to the Safety of Rwanda Bill (PDF) on 22 April 2024.

The bill’s purpose is to “prevent and deter unlawful migration, and in particular migration by unsafe and illegal routes, by enabling the removal of persons to the Republic of Rwanda” under a controversial relocation treaty. The Library’s briefing on the bill, published in advance of Commons second reading, gives an overview of the clauses and policy background.

Second reading was granted on 12 December 2023 by 313 votes to 269. The Commons then considered the bill in a committee of the whole House on 16 and 17 January 2024. No amendments were made, but many Conservative MPs voted for changes against the wishes of the Government, and 11 refused to back the bill on third reading.

The House of Lords considered the bill between 18 January and 12 March 2024. It made ten amendments during report stage proceedings on 4 and 6 March. All were Government defeats.

The bill has gone though several rounds of ping pong between the two houses. The House of Commons has so far approved no changes to the bill apart from an obligation to report on the removal of human trafficking victims to Rwanda.

There are two Lords amendments outstanding, approved on 17 April:

• Monitoring Committee sign-off (Lord Hope of Craighead). This would require independent monitors to certify that the UK-Rwanda treaty has been implemented before Rwanda can be treated as a conclusively safe country

• Exception for Afghans (Lord Browne of Ladyton). This would stop Afghans who fought alongside British forces from being removed to Rwanda, as well as other UK allies.

MPs will consider these amendments on Monday 22 April. Further time has been set aside on 23 April if necessary.