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UK Borders Bill

I do not think that I described the issue of EU immigration as a problem, because it has proved to be of substantial benefit to this country. The hon. Gentleman cannot get away from the point that his right hon. Friend’s letter was extremely clear that his party would switch off the national identity infrastructure of this country, despite the evidence that we have heard from people such as Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, who I think is chairing his party’s international security and policy commission, and Lord Stephens, who has consistently spoken in favour of identity technology and who is chairing another of the Conservative party’s policy commissions—the one on border controls. The right hon. Gentleman wrote that in his letter also despite the evidence of people such as Sir Andrew Green of Migrationwatch UK, who has looked at the question carefully, and of the business community and of trade unions. All of them have said that if we are to stop illegal journeys and illegal jobs we must lock down people’s identity. I hope that the Conservative party will follow through on any decision it votes for tonight by either underlining or withdrawing its commitment to shut down Britain’s identity infrastructure. I want to highlight for the hon. Member for Shipley (Philip Davies) some advice that was given by Michael Portillo. He said in 2004 that he doubted whether any Tory Government would be as rigorous in capping immigrant numbers as they claimed, given that no previous one had taken effective action to arrest the flow. It is absolutely right that we have to make sure that only those— It being Six o’clock, Mr. Deputy Speaker put the Question already proposed from the Chair pursuant to Order [5 February]. Question put and negatived. Mr. Deputy Speaker then proceeded to put the Questions necessary to dispose of the business to be concluded at that hour.