Part of UK Borders Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 5:00 pm on 20 March 2007.
Liam Byrne
Minister of State (Home Office) (Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality)
5:00,
20 March 2007
We have had to rely on members of the official Opposition for the most forensic analysis of the proposals this afternoon. The hon. Member for Ashford is right that further debates are scheduled about the precise charges proposed for next year. I live in hope that that forensic analysis is yet to come.
The hon. Gentleman made two important points, one about the degree of flexibility and the second wanting me to estimate the kinds of moneys that I might have in mind for the next financial year. We are putting forward no proposals for individual-specific pricing, although that is an interesting idea, which may warrant a bit more explanation. I am not sure that we would quite have that latitude within the provisions of new Clause 16. More important, on the question of the amount of money that might be raised, when we published our enforcement strategy a week or two ago, I was optimistic that we might raise up to an extra £100 million through the measures in the next financial year. That is important because it means that we will be able to fund extra detention space and immigration officers and to strengthen our systems of immigration and of immigration policing. There are of course volume risks, but those are conservative assumptions. With that, I recommend the clause to the Committee.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
