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Written question asked by Stephen Kinnock (Labour) on Tuesday, 30 April 2024, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 7 May 2024 (named day). It was answered by Mike Freer (Conservative) on Tuesday, 7 May 2024 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.


Asylum: Rwanda

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the speech entitled Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s statement on the plan to stop the boats, published by the Prime Minister’s office on 22 April 2024, what the evidential basis is for the statement that the judiciary have identified 150 judges who could provide over 5,000 sitting days to deal with challenges to the removal of asylum seekers from the UK under the provisions of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024.

Answer

The Illegal Migration Act 2023 (IMA) provides for First-tier Tribunal judges to be deployed to sit in the Upper Tribunal to hear IMA appeals. As the Lord Chancellor set out in his Written Ministerial Statement of 16 January 2024: “The judiciary have identified relevant judges, which could provide over 5,000 additional sitting days. The decision on whether to deploy additional judges temporarily to the Upper Tribunal, including when they sit and the courtrooms they use, is for the independent judiciary and will be taken by the relevant leadership judges at the time and in the interests of justice”.

It is standard practice not to comment on discussions between Ministers and the judiciary. However, the Ministry of Justice is working closely with the judiciary in preparation for implementation of the Illegal Migration Act and I refer you to the Lord Chancellor’s Written Ministerial Statement of 16 January 2024, which addressed the topic (https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-01-16/hcws188).


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
24250
Session
2023-24
Related items
Tribunal Capacity Update
Tuesday, 16 January 2024
Written statements
House of Commons
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Asylum Deportation Judges Rwanda
Legislation
Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk