I recall debating these topics and the very similar text of the noble Baroness’s Private Member’s Bill at its Third Reading.
The reality is that she and I differ on the appropriate numbers that would come in and the resources that would then be necessary to attend them. It is simply a policy decision, and we differ on that.
I turn to Amendments 130 and 131, put forward by the noble Baroness, Lady Lister, and the noble Lord, Lord Purvis. These seek to create routes through which an individual may travel to the UK for the purpose of making a claim for asylum or protection. The right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Durham and my noble friend Lord Kirkhope raised a similar point. The Government are clear that those in need of international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach. This policy aligns with international law, and indeed with those of previous Governments, including the previous Labour Government. In answer to the question posed by the noble Lords, Lord Hannay, Lord Purvis and Lord Paddick, that is the fastest route to safety. Such schemes would only add further untold pressure to UK systems.
Amendment 130 defines an eligible applicant as someone who
“is present in a member State of the European Union”.
This underlines the point: EU member states are inherently safe countries with functioning asylum systems. There is therefore no reason why a person should not seek protection in the country concerned. Moreover, this amendment would also encourage more people to make dangerous and unnecessary journeys, including across the Mediterranean, to qualify for a safe passage visa.
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As I have said, the UK has a proud history of providing protection to those who need it, but we cannot help everyone. I ask the proponents of Amendment 131 whether they would place a limit on the numbers to be admitted through these schemes. Further to this, what would be the cost of providing the necessary accommodation and support services for those admitted to this scheme? The Government have been pressed to publish an impact assessment for the Bill, and we are committed to doing so in due course, but this works both ways. The Committee deserves to be told what the cost of this amendment would be. What discussions have the noble Baroness and the noble Lord had with local authorities and other service providers about the provision of the necessary support services? If there is to be no limit, the costs would mirror this, and the result of Amendment 131 would be tens of thousands more asylum seekers being accommodated in hotels across the country.