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Issue of the day: Asylum and immigration
Party spokesmen debate policy on asylum and immigration.
Labour: Home Office minister Des Browne
Great progress has been made on the issues of asylum and immigration since 1997. We have dramatically cut asylum claims.
We now consider applications quicker than ever before. Four out of five asylum claims are decided in under two months rather than 20 months prior to 1997, the backlog of claims is at a 10-year low and the cost of supporting asylum seekers while their claims are considered is steadily falling.
Strengthening our borders has been a significant part of this achievement. UK immigration officers now actually operate UK border controls on the continent, stopping people trying to gain entry illegally, such as those hiding in lorries or using forged documents, before they even reach the UK. New detection technology is used to search all freight in Calais destined for the UK.
In parallel to our reform of the asylum system, we have embarked on a review of our legal migration routes for work, study and family to ensure they are systematically protected from abuse.
In short, the government has transformed the system it inherited, making it more efficient, faster, easier to understand and manage, and easier to protect from abuse.
We need to build on our success in radically reducing asylum applications. We remove record numbers of failed asylum seekers, more each year than ever before, but we recognise that we do not yet remove enough. That is why we have said we will, by the end of 2005, ensure the monthly rate of removals exceeds the number of unfounded applications.
As a result of our balanced approach we can justifiably be tough on those seeking to exploit our goodwill and economy because we are ensuring a fair system and are supportive of genuine cases.
Conservatives: Shadow home affairs minister Humfrey Malins
Under Labour, Britain has become a soft touch on asylum and immigration. We have lost control of the system. Labour has been forced into U-turn after U-turn as they have tried to regain control of the shambles created by their own ineptitude.
We need a system that is properly controlled and fair. We need a government that acts, not one that talks. The system must be a refuge for those that need it and discourage those who do not.
Many of those who claim asylum at present do not meet the criteria of full refugees. In Britain, only two in 10 applicants are granted asylum, while two in 10 are granted permission to stay. With only one in five asylum seekers removed by the authorities, the current system is illogical.
Worst of all, it encourages increased illegal immigration and lets down genuine asylum seekers. It is likely that 250,000 failed asylum seekers remain in this country that the government cannot or will not remove.
A Conservative government will crack down on illegal immigration by re-introducing embarkation controls. We will take tough action against companies who employ illegal immigrants.
Under a Conservative government, Britain will pull out of the 1951 Refugee Convention and enter a reservation against the relevant parts of the European Convention on Human Rights. We will replace the Convention with British legislation, which will speed up asylum decisions. Genuine refugees will be welcomed but those who are not will be removed quickly.
A Conservative government will reduce the number of people coming to Britain by getting a grip on work permits. We will take firm action to stop people who are not genuine refugees applying for asylum.
The Conservatives believe we need a fair system that helps genuine refugees and gives priority to those who want to come to Britain to work hard and make a positive contribution.
Liberal Democrats: Home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten
The Liberal Democrats have always argued that the best deterrent to abuse is not an arbitrary raising of the hurdle to get into the system, but having a fast, efficient, and above all accurate system in the first place.
The biggest problem has been and remains the quality of initial decision-making. An incredible 22 per cent of asylum rejections are overturned at the first stage of appeal, a fact that strongly suggests a culture of rejection, not a culture of impartiality, exists within the Home Office. For some nationalities the proportion of incorrect initial decisions is much higher – 43 per cent for Somalis and 44 per cent for Sudanese applicants.
So what can be done to create a better system? First, ensure that initial decisions are taken on the basis of the best evidence and expert advice, with legal aid protected to ensure that claimants are represented properly.
Secondly, we should reinstate the right to work for asylum seekers, as well as helping individuals to use and maintain their skills so saving millions currently spent on welfare. This approach would help to tackle right-wing sentiments, as asylum seekers would no longer be dependent on handouts but actively contributing to our economy.
Thirdly, we are strongly in favour on developing a common European asylum policy as a means of sharing responsibility and ensuring that different asylum systems do no create perverse incentives for applicants to 'shop' between EU member states.
The above texts are edited versions of articles which first appeared in the Parliamentary Monitor magazine.
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