Schedule

Part of UK Borders Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 12:15 pm on 20 March 2007.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Sir David Amess Sir David Amess Conservative, Southend West 12:15, 20 March 2007

With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: Government amendments Nos. 117 to 119.

Government new clause 6—Border and Immigration Inspectorate: Establishment—

‘(1) The Secretary of State shall appoint a person as Chief Inspector of the Border and Immigration Agency.

(2) The Chief Inspector shall monitor and report on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Border and Immigration Agency; in particular, the Chief Inspector shall consider and make recommendations about—

(a) consistency of approach within the Border and Immigration Agency,

(b) the practice and performance of the Border and Immigration Agency compared to other persons doing similar things,

(c) practice and procedure in making decisions,

(d) the treatment of claimants and applicants,

(e) certification under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (c. 41) (unfounded claim),

(f) compliance with law about discrimination in the exercise of functions, including reliance on section 19D of the Race Relations Act 1976 (c. 74) (exception for immigration functions),

(g) practice and procedure in relation to the exercise of enforcement powers (including powers of arrest, entry, search and seizure),

(h) the provision of information,

(i) the handling of complaints, and

(j) the content of information about conditions in countries outside the United Kingdom which the Secretary of State compiles and makes available, for purposes connected with immigration and asylum, to immigration officers and other officials.

(3) In this section “the Border and Immigration Agency” means—

(a) immigration officers, and

(b) other officials of the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State, in respect of functions relating to immigration, asylum or nationality.

(4) The Chief Inspector shall not aim to investigate individual cases (although this subsection does not prevent the Chief Inspector from considering or drawing conclusions about an individual case for the purpose of, or in the context of, considering a general issue).’.

And the following amendment thereto: (a), Leave out subsection (4) and insert—

‘(4) The Chief Inspector shall have the power to investigate individual cases.’.

Government new clause 7—Border and Immigration Inspectorate: Chief Inspector: supplemental.

Government new clause 8—Border and Immigration Inspectorate: Reports—

‘(1) The Chief Inspector shall report in writing to the Secretary of State—

(a) once each calendar year, in relation to the performance of the functions under section [Border and Immigration Inspectorate: Establishment] generally, and

(b) at other times as requested by the Secretary of State in relation to specified matters.

(2) The Secretary of State shall lay before Parliament a copy of any report received under subsection (1).

(3) But a copy may omit material if the Secretary of State thinks that its publication—

(a) is undesirable for reasons of national security, or

(b) might jeopardise an individual’s safety.’.

And the following amendment thereto: (a), after ‘State’, insert ‘and the Information Commissioner’.

Government new clause 9—Border and Immigration Inspectorate: Plans.

Government new clause 10—Border and Immigration Inspectorate: Relationship with other bodies: general.

Government new clause 11—Border and Immigration Inspectorate: Relationship with other bodies: non-interference notices.

Government new clause 12—Border and Immigration Inspectorate: Abolition of other bodies.

Government new clause 13—Border and Immigration Inspectorate: Prescribed matters.

Government new clause 14—Senior President of Tribunals.