As part of our programme of reform in 2008 to tighten Britain's border security I am today revoking two pieces of guidance which could have helped a handful of overstayers—people here illegally in the United Kingdom (UK)—to obtain limited leave to stay in the UK as the spouse or partner...

As part of our programme of reform in 2008 to tighten Britain's border security I am today revoking two pieces of guidance which could have helped a handful of overstayers—people here illegally in the United Kingdom (UK)—to obtain limited leave to stay in the UK as the spouse or partner...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for certificates of approval for marriage in the UK were received in each of the last six months; how many applications have been (a) approved and (b) rejected in each of the last six months; and how...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for certificates of approval for marriage in the UK were received in each of the last six months; how many applications have been (a) approved and (b) rejected in each of the last six months; and how...

I am still slightly bamboozled about which bit of red tape the hon. Gentleman is referring to. Is it schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971? It explicitly states:"““An immigration officer may examine any person who is embarking or seeking to embark in the United Kingdom for the purpose of...

I am still slightly bamboozled about which bit of red tape the hon. Gentleman is referring to. Is it schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971? It explicitly states:"““An immigration officer may examine any person who is embarking or seeking to embark in the United Kingdom for the purpose of...

That is merely down to an ambition for accuracy, rather than anything ominous.

That is merely down to an ambition for accuracy, rather than anything ominous.

I would be more than happy to look at those discrepancies and to spend as much time with the hon. Gentleman as is required to try to get to the bottom of that matter. I was talking about the need to maintain contact arrangements with children, particularly when they do...

I would be more than happy to look at those discrepancies and to spend as much time with the hon. Gentleman as is required to try to get to the bottom of that matter. I was talking about the need to maintain contact arrangements with children, particularly when they do...

Because we will often be making arrangements to send those people home. I simply do not understand how anyone cannot envisage that in judicial review proceedings, lawyers would make the argument that I cited. The proposal would lead to the multiplication of judicial review proceedings. This is a serious matter....

Because we will often be making arrangements to send those people home. I simply do not understand how anyone cannot envisage that in judicial review proceedings, lawyers would make the argument that I cited. The proposal would lead to the multiplication of judicial review proceedings. This is a serious matter....

That is absolutely right. I am trying to make the point that the section 11 duty is about not simply safeguarding, but enabling"““children to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully””." As the hon. Gentleman knows, the DRC is the size of western Europe. There are places in...

That is absolutely right. I am trying to make the point that the section 11 duty is about not simply safeguarding, but enabling"““children to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully””." As the hon. Gentleman knows, the DRC is the size of western Europe. There are places in...

indicated dissent.

indicated dissent.

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...

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...

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. Before I come to my substantive remarks, I want to thank the members of the Public Bill Committee, who ensured that the Bill received the right level of scrutiny and deliberation. The changes that we have brought...

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. Before I come to my substantive remarks, I want to thank the members of the Public Bill Committee, who ensured that the Bill received the right level of scrutiny and deliberation. The changes that we have brought...

I sense that the hon. Gentleman wishes to say something.

I sense that the hon. Gentleman wishes to say something.

The answer is simple: they are escorted into a room and an immigration officer will take any step that he or she judges to be necessary to verify their identity. The options do not stop simply at asking someone to remove their veil; if necessary, we will fingerprint them. That...

The answer is simple: they are escorted into a room and an immigration officer will take any step that he or she judges to be necessary to verify their identity. The options do not stop simply at asking someone to remove their veil; if necessary, we will fingerprint them. That...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving way to me again as I want to press an important point. From the figures published recently by the Office for National Statistics, he will know that 145,000 people came from the European Union in 2005, so if EU migrants were...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving way to me again as I want to press an important point. From the figures published recently by the Office for National Statistics, he will know that 145,000 people came from the European Union in 2005, so if EU migrants were...

This has been an extraordinary debate, and a nice way to complete—I fear—Report. Some of the interventions were helpful, especially on the question of limits. We have been watching the debate among Opposition Members on that subject for some time. It was at spring conference, back in 2003, that the...

This has been an extraordinary debate, and a nice way to complete—I fear—Report. Some of the interventions were helpful, especially on the question of limits. We have been watching the debate among Opposition Members on that subject for some time. It was at spring conference, back in 2003, that the...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving way. He is being extremely generous with his time. Although the number of asylum seekers is at its lowest level not since 1997, but since 1991, the estimated cost of the hon. Gentleman’s proposals would require an extra 5,000 detention beds...

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving way. He is being extremely generous with his time. Although the number of asylum seekers is at its lowest level not since 1997, but since 1991, the estimated cost of the hon. Gentleman’s proposals would require an extra 5,000 detention beds...

Thank you for your counsel, Madam Deputy Speaker. We need to make changes in this area, but our acceptance of new clause 1 is constrained by the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998. The way that it is drafted means that we would have to disclose...

Thank you for your counsel, Madam Deputy Speaker. We need to make changes in this area, but our acceptance of new clause 1 is constrained by the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998. The way that it is drafted means that we would have to disclose...

I want to put on the record my gratitude to the House for the range of amendments in this group. The debate has been a good illustration of the sort of discussion that we had in Committee. There have been two extremes in the debate and, like all reasonable Governments,...

I want to put on the record my gratitude to the House for the range of amendments in this group. The debate has been a good illustration of the sort of discussion that we had in Committee. There have been two extremes in the debate and, like all reasonable Governments,...

Precisely. That is why, under the 2003 Act, it is possible for victim liaison officers to disclose information about whether a deportation has been effected and, when a decision has been made, what that decision will mean, as well as, if someone is released on bail, the sort of conditions...

Precisely. That is why, under the 2003 Act, it is possible for victim liaison officers to disclose information about whether a deportation has been effected and, when a decision has been made, what that decision will mean, as well as, if someone is released on bail, the sort of conditions...

The automatic deportation provisions are not simply confined to those who have been given a 12-month sentence. They include the 324 offences that sit on section 72 of the 2003 Act. To take the excellent example of the recidivist pickpockets, their offences would be defined under the Theft Act 1968,...

The automatic deportation provisions are not simply confined to those who have been given a 12-month sentence. They include the 324 offences that sit on section 72 of the 2003 Act. To take the excellent example of the recidivist pickpockets, their offences would be defined under the Theft Act 1968,...

I will come to the arrangements that we will need to make under section 72 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 in a moment, but the point on which I want to finish is that there has to be a degree of balance. That is why we propose...

I will come to the arrangements that we will need to make under section 72 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 in a moment, but the point on which I want to finish is that there has to be a degree of balance. That is why we propose...