Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure legal immigrants are not treated as if they were illegal immigrants.

The Government balances the need to tackle illegal immigration with the need to protect those who are here lawfully from any unintended consequences. The compliant environment regulates migrants’ access to work, benefits and services in the UK to deter illegal migration and to protect taxpayer funded public services.

The compliant environment includes appropriate safeguards, including the ability to exercise discretion where there are genuine barriers to persons leaving the UK, or measures would be deemed unduly harsh. However, it is right, in light of Windrush, that we review those safeguards to ensure that those who are lawfully here are not disadvantaged by measures put in place to tackle illegal migration.

The Government has already introduced additional safeguards, and we will continue to assess what further action needs to be taken.