Some constituents have recently written to me about
their concerns over the way that our asylum system is functioning and how
asylum seekers are treated under the current circumstances.
I have always been clear we need not only a
controlled and robust immigration system, but also one that demonstrates
compassionate to those who most need our help.
In terms of our asylum system, I believe this
translates into an effective border enforcement system that is complemented by
an efficient asylum decision system, one that does not leave individuals and
their families out in the dark about their immigration status for too long.
Constituents have asked me to raise three
particular areas of action with the Home Secretary. The first relates to the
need for asylum seekers to physically travel to regional centres around the UK
physically to file their claim. I fully understand the difficulty and risks
around travelling under these circumstances, but I can also see why the Home
Office would require asylum seekers to be physically present at these centres
in order for them to verify their identity and to prevent any risk of fraud or
abuse in the system. As such I will be bearing this in mind when I next speak
to ministerial colleagues at the Home Office to seek clarification on this
area.
Secondly, on the point of increasing asylum support
by £20 per week for 12 months, I have reservations that this would create
perverse incentives for more to try to come to the UK to claim asylum, at a
time when international travel of all forms are fraught with risks. As we look
to embark on what could well be a very long road to full recovery from the
impact of Covid-19, last thing that our NHS and our public infrastructure need
right now is additional demand.
What I would instead suggest is that we need to be
looking at ways to further expedite the decision-making within our asylum
system, so that those who arrive here with often limited resources can get a
quick decision on whether they are given the sanctuary (and with it, the right
to work) in this country, instead of having to rely on government support for
weeks and months on end. This is something that I have stressed with ministers
before and I will continue to make this point.
On their third area of action relating to the
adequacy of accommodation for asylum seekers, while I understand that
constituents are concerned about the welfare of asylum seekers in shared
accommodation, I note that many other citizens and residents in the UK such as
are also living in shared spaces too without encountering any issues with
social-distancing. It is obviously important that steps are taken to ensure
that those who have contracted the virus are self-isolating and not putting
others at risk. I am not aware of any particular issues with this, or with the
supply of cleaning and hygiene products in asylum accommodation. But I will try
to seek confirmation from the relevant ministers that the right steps are being
taken whenever possible.
