Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda

Rosie Winterton Excerpts

Wednesday 15th June 2022 Commons Chamber

[Priti Patel]

My right hon. Friend makes some very important points. He speaks of the generosity of our country, and I stand by that. I think this Government’s record speaks very strongly on supporting people from Afghanistan, Syria, Hong Kong, Ukraine, and the hundreds of thousands of people whom we have supported. He rightly speaks about our domestic courts in the same way as I did in my statement, and it is important to note that the courts have not challenged the legality of our policy.

In fact, I use this moment to pay tribute, which the Opposition parties will not do, to our officials in the Home Office, both in-country and here, for their work on developing the programme and on evidencing the legality of the policy, and how they have worked with Rwanda as a country on its capability and capacity to house people.

These arguments have been challenged in the courts and they have been well heard in the courts. If I may make one final point, our domestic courts have been transparent in their decision making and how they have communicated their verdicts from the High Court, the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. What is concerning is the opaque nature of the conduct of last night’s appeal by the European Court of Human Rights in the way that it informed the UK Government about one individual. It is now right that we spend time going back to that Court to get the grounds upon which it made its decision.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton)]

I call the SNP spokesperson.

[Stuart C. McDonald (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East) (SNP)]

My party continues to deplore this unworkable, illegal and immoral policy. It does nothing to stop smugglers and it inflicts serious harm on victims, despite the Home Secretary’s cloud cuckoo land description of it. We wholeheartedly welcome the cancellation of this flight, and we condemn the reckless approach that the Home Secretary has taken to taxpayers’ money and, more importantly, to the rule of law.

May I take a moment to commend the lawyers involved for their incredible work in the face of some utterly inappropriate commentary from the top of Government? Will the Home Secretary tell her colleagues to heed the call from the Law Society and the Bar Council, and stop attacks on legal professionals who are simply doing their job?

It is not the lawyers who caused this flight to be cancelled nor any court; this flight was stopped because of the stench of yet more Government illegality. [Interruption.] It was. Even the most ardent supporters of this dreadful policy must recognise that there is, to put it mildly, massive dubiety over its lawfulness. The UNHCR, the guardian of the refugee convention, is clear that this is in breach of it. To seek to press ahead before the courts have concluded that issue either way was a reckless waste of taxpayers’ money and shows again this Government’s total disregard for the rule of law.

The Home Secretary should call this off now, and wait for that Court ruling. That is all we are asking for in the meantime. She should start answering the basic questions that we did not get answers to on Monday, such as about oversight, age assessments, and screening for torture survivors and trafficking victims. This is a dreadful mess.

Inevitably, this pitiful policy failure will now, wrongly, be blamed by the usual suspects on the European convention on human rights, so will the Home Secretary recognise what the Prime Minister previously said about the convention being a “great thing”? Will she recognise its importance for devolution, for the Good Friday agreement and for the trade and co-operation agreement, and call off the agitators in her party who want the UK to follow Russia and Belarus through the exit door and on to pariah state status?

--- Later in debate ---

[Priti Patel]

I thank my hon. Friend for the very thoughtful way in which she has made her points and asked her question. In particular, I want to pay tribute to her and to her constituents, because they are on the frontline. I have spent a great deal of time both in my hon. Friend’s constituency and with her, and with the professionals in her constituency—not just in Border Force or on the frontline on the coast, but in her local authority—who do a great deal of work when it comes to housing, providing sanctuary and providing support. We should take this moment to pay tribute to them, because they are on the frontline day in and day out, it is fair to say. I also want to commend them for the way they work with Home Office officials and our operational teams.

My hon. Friend speaks very strongly and powerfully about the lives that have been lost, and I think the House should recognise that this is not just about those crossing the channel. It is about those crossing the Mediterranean, going through European countries and sometimes even those going through parts of Africa and the Sahel. The conditions are absolutely appalling. On that journey I have just spelt out—from north Africa and the Sahel, crossing the Mediterranean and going to EU member states—the EU member states are safe countries, and this is the model that we have to break.

It is a fact—we know this through intelligence work and the UK intelligence network—that a lot of those gangs are based in European member states. While I cannot speak in more detail about the wider work that has taken place, a lot of good, solid co-operation led by this Government has spurred action in EU member states to deal with the smuggling gangs, go after the smugglers, and ensure they are prosecuted.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton)]

I call the Chair of the Home Affairs Committee, Dame Diana Johnson.

[Dame Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)]

The permanent secretary refused to sign off the Rwanda policy on the basis of a lack of evidence of value for money for the taxpayer. That is only the second time in 30 years that the most senior civil servant in the Home Office has had to be ordered by the Home Secretary to implement a policy.

In light of those concerns about wasting public money, will the Home Secretary confirm that on top of the payment of £120 million to Rwanda, the taxpayer will also now be picking up the £0.5 million cost of the flight last night, and all subsequent charter planes, whether they take off or not? Will there be additional payments to Rwanda for people whom Rwanda is expecting, whether or not those people actually arrive?

--- Later in debate ---

[Priti Patel]

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the comments that I made earlier.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton)]

I thank the Home Secretary for her statement.

Bills Presented

Social Security (Additional Payments) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Orders Nos. 50 and 57)

Secretary Thérèse Coffey, supported by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng and David Rutley, presented a Bill to make provision about additional payments to recipients of means-tested benefits, tax credits and disability benefits.

Bill read the first time; to be read a second time tomorrow and to be printed (Bill 13) with explanatory notes (Bill 13-EN).

Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Stuart C McDonald, supported by David Linden, Luke Hall, Alex Davies-Jones, Steve Reed, Caroline Lucas, Ben Lake, Tim Farron, Ms Anum Qaisar, Gavin Newlands, Alison Thewliss and Amy Callaghan, presented a Bill to make provision about leave and pay for employees with responsibility for children receiving neonatal care.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 15 July, and to be printed (Bill 14).

Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Dan Jarvis presented a Bill to make provision about protection from redundancy during or after pregnancy or after periods of maternity, adoption or shared parental leave.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 9 September, and to be printed (Bill 15).

Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Greg Smith presented a Bill to make provision to prevent the theft and re-sale of equipment and tools used by tradespeople and agricultural and other businesses; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 16 September, and to be printed (Bill 16).

Co-operatives, Mutuals and Friendly Societies Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Sir Mark Hendrick presented a Bill to make provision about the types of share capital issued by co-operatives; to make provision about the taxation of mutual insurers and friendly societies which issue deferred shares; to permit the capital surplus of co-operatives, mutuals and friendly societies to be non-distributable; to amend the Friendly Societies Act 1992; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 28 October, and to be printed (Bill 17).

Electricity and Gas Transmission (Compensation) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Dr Liam Fox presented a Bill to establish an independent mechanism to determine claims for compensation in cases where land will be or has been subject to the acquisition of rights or land, through compulsion or by agreement, for the purposes of electricity and gas transmission; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 25 November, and to be printed (Bill 18).

Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Bob Blackman presented a Bill to make provision about the regulation of supported exempt accommodation; to make provision about local authority oversight of, and enforcement powers relating to, the provision of supported exempt accommodation; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 18 November, and to be printed (Bill 19).

Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Greg Clark presented a Bill to make provision about causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress to a person in public where the behaviour is done because of that person’s sex; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 9 December, and to be printed (Bill 20).

Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Dean Russell presented a Bill to ensure that tips, gratuities and service charges paid by customers are allocated to workers.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 15 July, and to be printed (Bill 21).

Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Yasmin Qureshi presented a Bill to make provision in relation to the right of employees and other workers to request variations to particular terms and conditions of employment, including working hours, times and locations.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 28 October, and to be printed (Bill 22).

Carer’s Leave Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Wendy Chamberlain presented a Bill to make provision about unpaid leave for employees with caring responsibilities.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 9 September, and to be printed (Bill 23).

Offenders (Day of Release from Detention) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Mark Jenkinson presented a Bill to make provision about the days on which offenders are released from detention; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 16 September, and to be printed (Bill 24).

Terminal Illness (Support and Rights) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Alex Cunningham presented a Bill to require utility companies to provide financial support to customers with a terminal illness; to make provision about the employment rights of people with a terminal illness; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 18 November, and to be printed (Bill 25).

Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Henry Smith presented a Bill to make provision prohibiting the import of hunting trophies into Great Britain.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 25 November, and to be printed (Bill 26).

Child Support (Enforcement) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Claire Coutinho presented a Bill to make provision about the enforcement of child support maintenance and other maintenance; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 9 December, and to be printed (Bill 27).

Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Wera Hobhouse presented a Bill to make provision in relation to the duties of employers and the protection of workers under the Equality Act 2010.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 9 September, and to be printed (Bill 28).

Online Sale of Goods (Safety) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Kate Osborne, on behalf of Ian Mearns, presented a Bill to provide for the Secretary of State to make regulations about the safety of goods sold online; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 20 January, and to be printed (Bill 29).

Shark Fins Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Christina Rees presented a Bill to prohibit the import and export of shark fins and to make provision relating to the removal of fins from sharks.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 15 July, and to be printed (Bill 30).

Dyslexia Screening and Teacher Training Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Matt Hancock, supported by Robert Halfon, Dr Rupa Huq, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Paul Bristow, Rosie Cooper, Tom Hunt, Henry Smith, Holly Mumby-Croft, Christian Wakeford, Brendan Clarke-Smith and Jim Shannon, presented a Bill to make provision for screening for dyslexia in primary schools; to make provision about teacher training relating to neurodivergent conditions; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 16 September, and to be printed (Bill 31).

Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Sally-Ann Hart presented a Bill to make provision enabling the making of arrangements for the collection of child support maintenance in cases involving domestic abuse.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 28 October, and to be printed (Bill 32).

Powers of Attorney Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Stephen Metcalfe presented a Bill to make provision about lasting powers of attorney; to make provision about proof of instruments creating powers of attorney; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 9 December, and to be printed (Bill 33).