Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Stephens Excerpts
Monday 6th March 2017

(7 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Chris Stephens Portrait Chris Stephens (Glasgow South West) (SNP)
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8. Whether she plans to review immigration rules for spouse visas.

Robert Goodwill Portrait The Minister for Immigration (Mr Robert Goodwill)
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The Supreme Court has now endorsed our approach in setting a minimum income threshold for spouse visas to prevent burdens on the taxpayer and ensure that migrant families can integrate into our communities. That is central to building an immigration system that works in the national interest.

Chris Stephens Portrait Chris Stephens
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The Supreme Court has described the financial threshold that forces UK citizens to choose between their country and their family as being “particularly harsh.” Will the Minister put families and children ahead of the illogical and arbitrary net migration target, ditch the £18,600 threshold or, at the very least, consider the circumstances of those in low-paid employment?

Robert Goodwill Portrait Mr Goodwill
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It is important that family life must not be established here at the taxpayer’s expense and that families are able to integrate. That is what our family immigration rules achieve, an approach that the Supreme Court has now endorsed.