Clause 26 - Conditions of residence
Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill
6:00 pm
Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey, Liberal Democrat)
I was just about to say that now the more enlightened regime has appeared among those in the Conservative Home Office team, they have got off
these ridiculous head-of-a-pin policies. Had the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues been in their posts before the general election I am sure that we would not have got on to them. We are happily now in more agreed territory. The important point is that the Government are clear that they cannot be detention centres and I am sure that that is correct in international law too. Again, I have not done a pan-European tour of all the variants in the EU. I paid an official visit to Finland a year or so ago and the system there works well. The centres are open, but the residents lose the benefits if they leave them.
Sitting suspended for a Division in the House.
On resuming—