Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to adopt the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration; and if so, what assessment they have made of the impact of such an adoption, particularly in relation to whether doing so would make any criticism of immigration a criminal offence; and whether they have any plans to mitigate any such impact on freedom of speech.

Well-managed migration is in everyone’s interests. But uncontrolled migration erodes public confidence, damages economies, and places those on the move in situations of great vulnerability. The UK is taking significant steps to tackle uncontrolled migration both in our domestic policy work and in our ODA-funded programmes by:

• Addressing the root causes of migration, through our targeted assistance for livelihoods, healthcare, education and economic development;

• Tackling modern slavery and organised immigration crime
• Supporting enhanced border management
• Providing critical humanitarian support and protection for vulnerable migrants, as well as offering voluntary return and vital reintegration support to those wishing to return home
• Supporting refugees to stay in a first safe country through our humanitarian and development work in Africa, the Middle East and Asia

The Global Compact for Migration is one way in which we are working to ensure that UK migration priorities are embedded throughout the international system. It is a step forward in international co-operation to tackle irregular migration and helpful framework to help us deliver our commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Compact is not legally binding. It creates a framework that will allow countries to work together to make migration more beneficial for everyone. It protects every State’s right to determine its own immigration policies, including in areas such as asylum, border controls and returns of illegal migrants.