Last week saw developments in the Government’s approach to
handling both legal and illegal immigration.
Looking at the measures on illegal immigration first, the
Government has introduced a new Parliamentary Bill to conclusively deem Rwanda
a safe country, stopping lawyers and illegal immigrants from abusing the
system, as they have been able to under current law, and allowing the
Government to fulfil its manifesto commitment on taking definitive action on
stopping the boats.
This Bill will be voted on later this week, after the
deadline for submitting this column, but I can confirm I will be supporting the
Government and voting in favour of the Bill.
There will be some who say the measures do not go far
enough, but in response I would say that the measures proposed need to be
workable and need to be able to be voted through Parliament to become law.
Alternative stronger measures, that some would like to see, are unlikely to
achieve this as there would be many more who would vote against a stronger
bill.
The bill is the toughest immigration legislation ever
introduced to Parliament. It includes provisions to disapply relevant sections
of the Human Rights Act, unambiguously exclude the courts from challenging the
fact that Rwanda is safe, and confirm that ministers alone can decide whether
to comply with blocking orders from Strasbourg, like the one that grounded the
first Rwanda flight in 2022.
The legislation is a part of the plan that delivers on the
Prime Minister’s priority to stop the boats and ensure that people know that if
they come to the UK illegally, they will not be able to stay.
Once the bill receives Royal Assent, it will pave the way
for the UK to begin next steps in processing people for relocation and starting
removal flights to Rwanda. The government intends to fast-track the emergency
legislation through Parliament as soon as possible.
Turning to changes to legal migration, last week the Home
Secretary announced a plan to deliver the biggest ever reduction in net legal
migration.
The measures will end the high numbers of dependants coming
to the UK, increase the minimum salaries that overseas workers and British or
settled people sponsoring family members must earn, and tackle exploitation
across the immigration system.
The major part of this will see the tightening of the Health
and Care Worker visa, which has seen a significant number of visas granted to
care workers and their dependants, by preventing overseas care workers from
bringing their dependants to the UK.
In the year ending September 2023, 101,000 Health and Care
Worker visas were issued to care workers and senior care workers, with an
estimated 120,000 visas granted to associated dependants, the majority of whom are
estimated don’t work, but still make use of public services. In addition, care
providers in England will now only be able to sponsor migrant workers if they
are undertaking activities regulated by the Care Quality Commission. From next
spring, the government will also increase the earning threshold for overseas
workers by nearly 50% from its current position of £26,200 to £38,700.
In Parliament last week I welcomed this, and questioned the Home
Secretary about it. I have seen through my work as MP when I have to assist
those people who have been affected that the current system has seen a number
of bogus care companies charging people tens of thousands of pounds to come to
this country, only to find that there is no job. These people are then
effectively stranded here with no job, accommodation or recourse to public
funds. I urged the Home Secretary to look at bringing these measures forward as
soon as possible so that we can end this practise, which is effectively people
trafficking under any other name.
With the end of the year now approaching I hope that as we
move into 2024, we will be able to see these big changes implemented and have a
positive impact on the issues they are trying to address.
As ever, my office is available for any constituents needing
help, advice or guidance. Please do get in touch if I can help – tel. 01726
829379, email – office@stevedouble.org.uk
