Examination of Witnesses

Part of Immigration Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 10:45 am on 29 October 2013.

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Photo of David Hanson David Hanson Shadow Minister (Home Affairs) 10:45, 29 October 2013

I agree with some of your comments in terms of effective enforcement. In a sense, those were the initial opening comments that I wished to make in relation to your estimates—whether they are right or wrong—versus the numbers who are known. Even the enforcement measures in the Bill are implicitly only workable on people who are known to the Home Office. I am interested in trying to get to a figure on that. We will revisit this during the course of our discussions in Committee.

You mentioned the Bill. I want to touch briefly on a number of points in it. On part 2, you said in your memorandum:

“We welcome the reduction in the number of grounds for appeal”,

and that you agree that most appeals are

“used simply to frustrate the removal process in cases that have no prospect of success”.

Have you any view on the current quality of decision making in relation to those people who, under the Bill, would potentially be removed?