(The Parliamentary under
Secretary of State for Future Borders and
Immigration): This government is committed to
creating a firm and fair immigration system that prioritises the
skills people have to offer, not where their passport comes from,
and restores public trust by ensuring the immigration system
truly works for this country.
The Immigration Rules form one of the foundations of our
immigration system. So I am pleased today to publish our response
to the Law Commission’s report and recommendations on simplifying
the Immigration Rules. I am extremely grateful to the Law
Commission for their detailed and constructive work.
The first recommendation from the Law Commission is we should
overhaul the Immigration Rules, consolidating and streamlining,
based on the principles they have identified. I am pleased to
announce we accept this recommendation. Our aim is to complete
this overhaul by January 2021.
Simplified rules will be at the heart of Britain’s new, global
points-based immigration system.
For far too long, users have struggled to understand the
confusing and complex Immigration Rules. They create barriers for
employers who want to bring skilled workers to the UK; to
colleges who want to encourage international students to come to
the UK, and to the brightest and best migrants from around the
world who want to make a contribution to the UK.
We will cut through the complexity and make the Rules clear,
consistent and accessible, to encourage those who have the skills
or talent to benefit the UK, and to crack down on illegal
migration and remove those who abuse our hospitality by
committing criminal offences.
In line with the Law Commission’s recommendations, I have already
established a Simplification of the Rules Review Committee to
look at the drafting and structure of the Rules. The Committee
will ensure the simplification principles put in place now
continue to apply in future, whilst providing ongoing support to
continuously improve and adapt the Rules in our changing world.
The Law Commission made 41 recommendations for change. We accept
24 of the recommendations, and partially accept the other 17
recommendations. Where we have not fully accepted a
recommendation that does not mean we disagree with the with the
ambition behind the recommendations, it generally means we want
to explore how it can be delivered in practice.
Simplification of the Immigration rules, the global points-based
immigration system, and the Immigration and Social Security
Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill which will end free movement,
will deliver the biggest shake-up of the immigration system in a
generation.
The Government’s response has been published on gov.uk and can be
found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/simplifying-the-immigration-rules-a-response.
