Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the open letter to the Prime Minister from a coalition of charities and church leaders asking that all migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees are given temporary leave to remain.

We have received the letter and will respond in due course.

The Government remains committed to an immigration policy which welcomes and celebrates people here legally but deters illegal immigration. The Immigration Rules already provide for undocumented migrants, who have not broken the law except for remaining here without lawful immigration status and who have been in the UK for a long time, to regularise their status. Migrants may make an application for leave to remain where there are grounds to do so.

If appropriate, in light of the situation in their country of origin, irregular migrants may claim asylum. The UK has a long and proud history of providing protection to those who need it and we will continue to uphold our obligations under the Refugee Convention during this time. Therefore, whilst ensuring that the Home Office is adhering to Public Health England’s advice in relation to the Covid-19 outbreak, claims can still be made, and decisions are continuing to be served on asylum claims on a case by case basis where there is sufficient evidence for us to make an accurate and well-informed decision in-line with published policy.

Even if an application is refused, measures we have implemented guarantee that an individual can remain safely accommodated and able to follow public health guidance, whilst maintaining access to financial support and healthcare until the end of June, and this will be kept under review.

As a result of this, there are no plans to provide temporary leave to remain to all asylum claimants or those with insecure status.