New Clause 9 - Late claim for asylum: refusal of support: appeals
Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill
11:15 am
Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight, Conservative)
I feel that I ought to respond in part to some of the other new clauses in this group, or at least give my view on them, before moving on to new clause 21. I have always regarded section 55 as a good section because it seeks to distinguish between those who arrive believing that they are claiming asylum, and those who decide for some reason after they arrive that they are going to claim asylum. Even with the limited number of asylum seekers in my constituency, I recognise, along with Ministers and other hon. Members, that there are some who manifestly have decided only to become asylum seekers because of some factor or experience since they arrived in the UK. It could be because they left a husband who did not measure up to expectations, or they discovered that their work permit had run out, or they never had a work permit and were about to found out, or they had committed a criminal offence for which they could be deported. There is a range of reasons with which I am sure hon. Members will be familiar. That is why I feel that section 55 is a good one. I fear new clause 12 being agreed, because new clause 15, which we shall come to later, would be an even more valuable contribution to the legislation. As the hon. Member for Walthamstow intimated, if special provision is to be made for people in special circumstances, it is essential that the Home Secretary has a means of judging—
It being twenty-five minutes past Eleven, The Chairman adjourned the Committee without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
Adjourned till this day at half-past Two o'clock.