MP, Labour’s Shadow Home
Secretary, responding to today's ONS figures which show
just 1% of last year's small boats asylum claims have been
decided, said:
"Despite all Rishi Sunak’s grand promises, fewer than 1% of last
year’s small boat cases have been decided. These are truly
shameful levels of incompetence from a government that has
completely lost any grip.
“After 13 years of failure, today's figures underline the
shocking mess the Conservatives have made of the asylum system.
The Home Office is still taking a third fewer decisions each year
than it was seven years ago and they have let the backlog
rise by another 60% to a record breaking high of 160,000 with the
taxpayer fronting the cost through spending on hotels.
“Labour has a five point plan to take more decisions, secure new
agreements with Europe, and crack down on the criminal gangs.
needs to stop posturing and
start getting the basics right.”
Ends
Notes:
Labour’s five-point plan to reform the asylum system:
-
Crack down on the criminal gangs through the NCA and in
partnership with France, Belgium and
Europol.
A Labour Government would redirect spending from the unworkable
Rwanda scheme, which the government has admitted is subject to a
very high risk of fraud, to setting up a new NCA cell to crack
down on smuggling gangs. This would include millions of pounds of
new investment in the NCA. Officers would be based in the UK and
throughout Europe to tackle the gangs upstream. This would be
supported with an urgent review to identify the gaps in
enforcement against smuggling gangs, with the findings used to
lay out an Action Plan to be delivered by the NCA and Border
Force, in collaboration with international allies and Europol.
-
Speed up asylum decisions
The Home Office is taking half as many asylum decisions as they
were five years ago, leaving people waiting in limbo for much
longer and pushing up accommodation costs. Fast tracking cases
for Albania and other safe countries, introducing triage and
restoring proper casework standards and targets will mean quicker
support for those who are refugees, much quicker returns for
those who are not, and stopping costly hotel use.
-
Reform resettlement schemes to better target those most
at risk of exploitation by trafficking and smuggler
gangs.
Labour would redesign the existing resettlement schemes which are
not currently working properly so that they include a clearer
process for refugees with family connections in the UK to be
considered for resettlement, preventing them being exploited by
criminal gangs or making dangerous journeys.
-
Replace the Dublin
agreement.
Labour would negotiate a replacement to the Dublin agreement
which included safe returns and safe family
reunions.
-
Work internationally to address crises leading people
to flee their homes
Labour would work in partnership internationally to address some
of the humanitarian crises that are leading people to flee their
homes including restoring the 0.7% aid commitment and
strengthening support for the people of Afghanistan, currently
the largest group trying to cross the Channel.
