Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of clause 52 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to permit the denial of refugee status to asylum seekers who are serious offenders.

Clause 52 ensures that convictions for Schedule 3 sexual offences will be assumed to be ‘particularly serious’ for the purpose of exclusion from the Refugee Convention. Not only have these individuals failed to respect the laws of the UK by committing heinous acts, but they have also undermined public confidence in the ability of the state to protect the public.

All crime causes harm to victims, communities, and society in general. By their very nature, sexual offences (especially those which warrant the imposition of the notification requirement) can have very serious impacts on victims and the overall fabric of society. Parliament has debated these issues and considered these offences to sit in a unique category, not least given the effect they have on victims and communities.

These individuals will be liable for removal at the earliest opportunity. Where removal is not possible due to our ECHR obligations, clause 52 will ensure that such individuals are not afforded the generous benefits of protection status in the UK.