Engagements

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister – in the House of Commons at 11:30 am on 3 May 2006.

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Photo of David Cameron David Cameron Leader of HM Official Opposition, Leader of the Conservative Party 11:30, 3 May 2006

People listening to that answer will, frankly, think it pathetic. This scandal has happened on the Prime Minister's watch and he cannot run away from responsibility for it. His assurances are worth so little, when last week at the Dispatch Box, he admitted that he did not even have the figures.

I have a letter from another immigration officer who has worked in the service for 30 years. He says that we

"are under instruction not to get involved in assisting the police with offenders . . . because these offenders are likely to claim asylum and tip the scales the wrong way. Thus are the figures massaged."

Should we not believe the people who have been working on the front line for nine years rather than a Prime Minister who did not know about this nine days ago?