New clause 21—Organised immigration crime enforcement—
“(1) The Crime and Courts Act 2013 is amended as follows.
(2) In section 1 after subsection (10) insert—
“(11) The NCA has a specific function to combat organised crime,
where the purpose of that crime is to enable the illegal entry of
a person into the United Kingdom via the English Channel.
(12) The NCA must maintain a unit (a “Cross-Border People
Smuggling Unit”) to coordinate the work undertaken in cooperation
with international partners in pursuit of the function mentioned
in subsection (11).””
This new clause would give the National Crime
Agency a legal responsibility for tackling
organised immigration crime across the Channel, and to maintain a
specific unit to undertake work related to that responsibility.
(Lewisham East) (Lab):...These
people are terrified, and have endured unimaginable conditions on
their journey to the UK, yet when we hear about refugees and
asylum seekers from the Government and from Members on the
Government Benches, their experiences of crossing the channel to
flee persecution are rarely ever mentioned. I find that utterly
shameful. This Government have demonised these people, including
children; they forget that these people are human, just like all
of us across this Chamber. Refugees who come by boat or in
lorries do so because of the lack of safe routes to the UK. They
are completely vulnerable and at the mercy of the people
smugglers. It is those people smugglers and criminal gangs that
the Government should be focusing all their efforts on, in order
to stop these illegal and criminal acts. That is why I am backing
new clause 22, which would enshrine in law a new National Crime
Agency unit to crack down on people smugglers and
gangs...
(Birmingham, Yardley) (Lab):
The Immigration Minister says there is mounting evidence. Which
agency does it come from? Is it Border Force? Is it the National Crime
Agency Is it local authorities? Which of the
agencies that make modern slavery referrals is responsible for
the most fraudulent referrals? Is it one that the Home Office
manages, or is it somebody else?
The Minister for Immigration (): I gave way to the hon.
Lady against my better judgment, and what she says is not the
point. The point is that three quarters of people on the verge of
being removed from this country claim modern slavery. I am afraid
that is wrong, and we need to bring it to a close.
New Clause 21
Organised immigration crime enforcement
“(1) The Crime and Courts Act 2013 is amended as follows.
(2) In section 1 after subsection (10) insert—
‘(11) The NCA has a specific function to combat organised crime,
where the purpose of that crime is to enable the illegal entry of
a person into the United Kingdom via the English Channel.
(12) The NCA must maintain a unit (a “Cross-Border People
Smuggling Unit”) to coordinate the work undertaken in cooperation
with international partners in pursuit of the function mentioned
in subsection (11).’”—(.)
This new clause would give the National Crime
Agency a legal responsibility for tackling
organised immigration crime across the Channel, and to maintain a
specific unit to undertake work related to that
responsibility.
Brought up.
Question put, That the clause be added to the Bill.
[Division 206
The Committee divided:
Ayes
249
Noes
301
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