Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's Immigration Rules, what the criteria is for assessing safe third countries for asylum seekers; and if she will make a statement.
The technical changes to the Immigration Rules laid on 10 December will send a strong message to those who could and should have claimed asylum in the first safe country they entered. They will not be able to make claims at sea and they may not have their claims decided in the UK.
Our Immigration Rules set out clear criteria which must be met in order for a third country to be considered safe for a particular applicant.
I made a statement on the Rules changes on 16 December.