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Proceeding contribution from Baroness Hanham (Conservative) in the House of Lords on Monday, 25 February 2008. It occurred during Debates on delegated legislation on Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2008.


Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2008

My Lords, the regulations are largely uncontroversial. We accept the principle that there should be reasonable charges for people wanting to come into this country. It is only reasonable if they do so that they should make a contribution before they come in. The cross-subsidisation of the fee charges is, as I understand the Minister, largely to support charities and small companies. Will the Minister confirm that? I was not sure when I read the draft statutory instrument what the cross-subsidisation would relate to. The Government have estimated that this will raise an additional £43.2 million—I think that is what the Minister said—over the next five years. Presumably those are annual charges and annual updates, so is the £43.2 million the estimation for five years or for one year? What do those extra fees go to? The Minister said rather enigmatically that they went to border security, but how? What is the contribution made? What is the implication of the £43.2 million not being achieved if, for example, fewer people than expected come through the legal route into this country?


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
699 c504 
Session
2007-08
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Fees and charges Licensing Immigration Migrant workers Highly skilled migrant programme
Legislation
Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2008
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk