UK Borders Bill

I am grateful to the noble Baroness for her help, as the Committee should be. I certainly appreciate the way in which this very difficult subject has been raised by noble Lords, not least by the right reverend Prelate. It is hard not to feel moved by his comments and observations on the way that the asylum seekers’ support system works. One appreciates the thinking behind his comments. That said, we, as a Government, have to take hard decisions and we have a firm framework of legislation designed to deal with problems within the asylum-seeking process and the issue of support. Noble Lords should not run away from that. Amendments Nos. 32 and 33 seek to extend asylum support to those who have been found to have no need for international protection and who should be taking steps to leave the UK. Amendment No. 33 seeks to repeal Section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, and all three of the amendments we are debating seek to repeal Section 9 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc) Act 2004.