Net Migration Figures - Commons Urgent Question

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 4:32 pm on 25 May 2023.

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Photo of Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle Green 4:32, 25 May 2023

My Lords, in the migration figures out this morning, the figures for the asylum backlog—the number of people who have been waiting more than six months for an asylum decision—show that, despite the promise from the Prime Minister to eliminate much of the backlog by the end of this year, the figure has increased by 10,000. There are now more than 128,000 people waiting more than six months for an asylum decision. Would the Minister promise the House that the Prime Minister’s pledge will be met by the end of this year, given that we are now at the end of May? Surely it is time to allow those people to work—indeed, some of them could be working in the hotel to which the noble Lord, Lord Bilimoria, referred.