Thank you to constituents who have written to me
about the rise in citizenship fees for children.
This is one of the many important yet sensitive
issues in our immigration system that needs to be resolved as we build a new
system that more fit for purpose after we Brexit.
Earlier this week I and a group of cross-party
parliamentarians with an interest in immigration released a joint statement in
response to media reports about excessive high fees charged by the Home Office
for visas and immigration applications:
"The Home Office urgently needs to look at
options to reduce high visa fees.”
"All departments are under financial pressure
but the answer can't be to jack up fees over and over.”
"Visa fees should reflect the administrative
costs of processing applicants and the Home Office should not use these fees to
subsidise other services.”
I am glad that the new Home Secretary has now told
the campaign group Citizens UK that she has been in contact with her Home
Office officials over the issue and understands the “concerns surrounding this
sensitive matter”.
I also know that she is on the side of constituents
because she was among a group of MPs who wrote to the then Immigration Minister
Caroline Nokes on the 10 July to ask why children were being charged
excessively high fees to become citizens of the country they were born or had
lived in since childhood.
I have every confidence that the Home Secretary
will now take this issue seriously, but I am as always happy to speak up for my
constituents concerns in Parliament whenever I have the opportunity to.
