UK Borders Bill

May I, too, express my gratitude for an informed and lively debate in the Chamber? Immigration is a subject that always attracts a great deal of attention, both in this Chamber and the other place, because of its bearing on the economy and on society as a whole. The Bill contains measures that are intended to help us better control immigration from abroad, at the border and in-country. Additional powers are needed to tackle the challenges posed by increasing global migration, which is part of globalisation. Those challenges include an increase in organised immigration crime, either from abroad through people trafficking or in-country through the illegal labour market. A greater number of people are coming here legally, too, so it is essential that we have the right powers and systems in place, as well as the right technology to manage them. When they are no longer entitled to be here, we must be able to ensure that they leave. The Bill therefore focuses on strengthening our borders. That is not simply a case of providing immigration officers at ports with extra powers, as it involves removing the incentives to enter the UK illegally in the first place. We have looked at specifically targeting people who abuse our hospitality as well as those who seek to profit from illegal immigration. The Bill includes tough measures to crack down on illegal working and to root out fraudulent claims for benefits through the introduction of biometric immigration documents for individuals subject to immigration control, as well as extra powers for immigration officers. We are improving cross-Government working with information-sharing powers that will help us to detect fraudsters and illegal workers.