Clause 34 - Disclosure to law enforcement agencies
Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill
4:45 pm
John Leech (Manchester, Withington, Liberal Democrat)
I beg to move amendment No. 130, in clause 34, page 18, line 18, leave out subsection (2).
Clause 34 gives chiefs of police the power to disclose information to
“any other foreign law enforcement agency.”
The amendment in my name and that of my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Dr. Harris) is a probing amendment designed to find out what safeguards will be in place to ensure that information is not shared in a way that breaches UK obligations under the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees. I seek assurances from the Minister as to how he can guarantee that information sharing will not put anyone under further fear of persecution. A number of people who are just passing through this country could be subject to this provision. In fact, people who are not currently subject to persecution may find themselves subject to persecution. The chance of their being persecuted by a foreign Government will massively increase as a result of information being passed on, and they could end up becoming refugees. I seek reassurance from the Minister as to how that can be avoided.