UK Parliament / Open data

Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill

I take that point completely. The noble Baroness echoes the point made by my noble friend Lady Warwick about wanting to have faith in the system. But I disagree with her that it is the same people taking the decisions. The point that I am trying to make is that, if you have an objective, criteria-based system, not a purely subjective one—although it is arguable that it ever was that—it is much easier to be very clear when someone fits the criteria. As the noble Lords involved in institutions will recognise, the critical relationship between the institution and the students, by which the student can come to the institution because he clearly fits the bill as someone that it wants to have, is central to the new proposition. We are checking the system out. I would argue that, as we refine the system more and more, I need to look for opportunities with noble Lords to demonstrate the system in action, how it is working and what the differences are. I am not sure how to do that yet—but I shall certainly think about it. I accept that we need to ensure that the quality of decision-making is fantastic. I also accept that because the issues that have been raised are largely of an administrative kind, if you take away the factor of subjectivity—that whether someone can do a course rests with the institution—getting the right kind of review in place will tackle those questions very quickly. Speed is everything in that regard. I shall seek to persuade noble Lords that that combination of concerns—whether the system is working and whether we can demonstrate when it comes in it will be a good system—plus the right kind of review, is the right combination to ensure that the system works effectively, rather than going back to an appeal system, which was relevant because of how decisions were made, but will not be relevant in the same way on this basis. That is the critical difference.

About this proceeding contribution

Reference

677 c62-3GC 

Session

2005-06

Chamber / Committee

House of Lords Grand Committee
Back to top