Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment the Government made prior to the introduction of the hostile environment immigration policy of that policy's potential effect on Commonwealth migrants who have been long-term residents of the UK.

The Compliant Environment is not a new concept; successive Governments have brought forward policies to protect the UK taxpayer from the misuse of public services and benefits and to tackle illegal migration.

Compliant Environment measures were never intended to impact on people with lawful immigration status in the UK, such as the Windrush generation.

We are fully committed to helping those affected to evidence their status in the UK and are making that process as straightforward as possible. A taskforce and helpline has been set up in the Home Office to help those concerned to prove their residence. The taskforce is taking a proactive approach so individuals can easily establish their rights.

We have also put in place additional protection for landlords, employers and others conducting checks in order to ensure we are not denying work, housing, benefits and services to Commonwealth migrants who have been long-term residents of the UK.