Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the application of all the provisions of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill to Northern Ireland in light of the judgment of the High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland that the conditional immunity provisions in the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 are incompatible with Article 2 of the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The Government has consistently applied immigration policy across the United Kingdom as a whole. That remains our absolute intention with the Rwanda Bill, which provides for it to apply UK-wide. We have considered the judgment and have lodged an appeal.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the effect of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill will be to disapply the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill will apply in full in Northern Ireland in the same way it does in the rest of the UK. This is set out on the face of the Bill, reflecting that immigration policy is a UK-wide matter.
The Charter of Fundamental Rights does not form part of domestic law anywhere in the UK, including Northern Ireland.
The published factsheet on this Bill has been updated to reflect the government position on the Bill in Northern Ireland: Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill: factsheet - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for asylum applications in Northern Ireland of the decision in the application for judicial review by Aman Angesom [2023] NIKB 102 of 18 October 2023.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
This judgment found in favour of the SSHD in respect of our policy to disperse asylum seekers on section 95 support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, from Northern Ireland to Scotland. Where individuals in asylum accommodation are relocated, their asylum claims will continue to be processed in line with legislation and policies in place, irrespective of place of residence in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Unexplained Wealth Orders have been issued in each jurisdiction of the UK since their introduction.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Unexplained Wealth Orders have been granted in four cases to date; all of those have been in England and Wales. No Unexplained Wealth Orders have been granted in Scotland.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date the Criminal Finances Act 2017 will be brought into force in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
It is my intention that the outstanding provisions in the Criminal Finances Act 2017 will be commenced on 28 June 2021. This is subject to Parliamentary approval.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the value of proceeds of crimes which have not been seized in Northern Ireland as a result of the delay in the operation of the Criminal Finances Act 2017.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Law Enforcement in Northern Ireland have a range of appropriate and effective powers available to them to recover criminals’ ill-gotten gains.
No formal assessment has been made as to the value of proceeds of crime which have not been seized as a result of the delay in operation of the Criminal Finances Act 2017 to Northern Ireland.