Immigration Overhaul
(7th February 2002)

Home Secretary, David Blunkett, today announced a radical reform of nationality, immigration and asylum policy in the UK. The White Paper entitled "Secure Borders, Safe Haven: Integration with diversity in modern Britain" sets out a comprehensive set of measures to deliver a properly managed, robust and integrated system of immigration, nationality and asylum for Britain in the 21st Century.

The measures will enable the UK to manage migration, secure its borders, and build trust and credibility in the system amongst the wider community without becoming "fortress Britain".

The policy proposals set out an end-to-end process for dealing with asylum seekers, in which applicants are tracked and supported from induction, through new accommodation and reporting centres, to integration or removal. It also outlines separate routes of entry for those who come to the UK seeking employment from those who arrive genuinely fleeing persecution, with a new overseas gateway for refugees.

The Home Secretary, David Blunkett said: "For far too long we have seen our immigration, nationality and asylum policies as separate areas that exist alongside each other but operate on different levels for different people. That ignores both the reality of the world we live in, and the need to integrate how we deal with those who come to the UK as economic migrants, asylum seekers or new citizens."

He added: "It is a "two-way street", requiring commitment and action from both the host community and asylum seekers and long term migrants alike. We have fundamental moral obligations, which we will always honour. We must uphold basic human rights, tackling the racism and prejudice which people still too often face. At the same time, those coming into our country have duties that they need to understand and which facilitate their acceptance and integration."

The White Paper carries specific proposals on:

Citizenship & Nationality - proposals include:

• A new Citizenship Pledge, modernising the current Oath of Allegiance sworn by those taking British nationality and bringing it into the 21st century;
• Ensuring that language skills and knowledge about British society become a requirement of citizenship;
• New citizenship ceremonies that will end the "mail order" approach to acquiring British nationality, giving meaning and value to the acquisition of British citizenship.

Working in the UK:

• The Highly Skilled Migrant Programme - a system in which highly skilled migrants get points for the skills, knowledge and experience they have in order to work in the UK - so that we can attract the best of the world's brainpower.
• Measures to enable foreign students who have graduated in the UK, student nurses, postgraduate doctors and dentists, to switch into work permit employment;
• Reform of short term casual and seasonal labour - building on the principles of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers' Scheme (SAWS) to ensure that sectors with short term labour needs can recruit the staff they need;
• Reform of the working holidaymakers scheme, with a consultation document looking at ways to make it less restrictive, open to all skill levels, and available to the EU accession candidate countries
• Ministers of Religion- encouragement for qualified foreign nationals already in the UK to apply, so that postholders are not drawn disproportionately from those outside the UK who may have very limited knowledge of British society and our fundamental values. For those entering the UK ensuring they have an understanding and appreciation of the language and culture of the UK;
• Better regulation of work permit advisory services.

Asylum Policy proposals include:

• A radical new system of induction, accommodation, reporting and removal centres to secure a seamless asylum process which monitors and provides the appropriate measures at every stage of the process;
• A resettlement programme, operated with the UNHCR, to establish legal gateways for certified refugees in need of protection, avoiding dangerous and highly visible illegal methods of entry.
• The Application Registration Card that will prevent fraud and provide more secure evidence of identity and nationality;
• Tough measures to prevent delay and obstruction in the appeals system and unmeritorious applications for judicial reviews - including making the Immigration Appeals Tribunal a Superior Court of Record; setting closure dates on appeals to stop multiple adjournments; tighter time limits on appeals; and measures to ensure the merits test for public funding of legal representation is being applied properly;
• A 50 per cent expansion in the number of appeals that can be heard every month;
• An increase of 40 per cent in secure removals centre places to 4,000 by Spring 2003;
• Refugee Integration - cutting out bureaucratic delay with simplified integration procedures;
• A new Immigration Hotline - through which members of the public can report immigration offences;

Tackling Fraud- People Trafficking, Illegal Entry and Illegal Working- proposals include:

• A new 14 year penalty for people trafficking to tackle, in particular the sexual exploitation of women;
• 14 year penalty for facilitating illegal entry,
• Improved enforcement action to tackle illegal working;
• Cracking down on organised crime through prevention strategies in source and transit countries and targeting criminals through intelligence and enforcement operations;
• Information campaign to target would-be employers of illegal workers;
• Co-operating robustly, practically and extensively with EU partners;
• Dealing compassionately with victims of trafficking;

Border Controls- measures will build on:

• Increased deployment of Airline Liaison Officers and Immigration Officers overseas to check and help prevent improperly documented passengers travelling to the UK;
• Visa regimes for nationals of countries where there is evidence of systematic abuse of our controls;
• Increased use of biometric, x/gamma ray scanners and up to date technology at ports and airports.

Marriage and Family visits- proposals include:

• Tackling sham marriages - an increase in the probationary period for marriage from one to two years, helping to tackle the problem of abusive and forced marriages, as well as fraud;
• Consulting on a "no switching" policy to stop people applying to remain on the basis of marriage after entering the UK as a visitor or in a temporary capacity for less than 6 months. In 1999, 76% of those granted leave to remain on the basis of marriage had entered for another purpose, and 50% of those who switched into marriage did so within 6 months of entry into the UK.
• Modernising Immigration Rules for unmarried partners;

CRE welcomes positive debate on white paper

CRE Chairman Gurbux Singh today urged that "The government's proposals on immigration, asylum and nationality must kick-start a more positive debate on migration and belonging to Britain".

Mr Singh welcomed the government's recognition that migration brings increased skills, enhanced levels of economic activity, cultural diversity, and global links. He also welcomed planned new measures to help refugees and immigrants learn about British society and what it means to be a British citizen.

The White Paper provides a real opportunity to offer full and active citizenship to new arrivals to this country. Tough new measures to crack down on illegal people traffickers, and plans to set up asylum claim processing centres abroad are also positive ideas.

Gurbux Singh said: "There are many very good proposals in this White Paper, however the CRE will need to look at the details before giving it a wholehearted welcome.

"The government's proposals on a test for English as a condition for naturalisation is one of those details we need to look at more carefully. I agree entirely that those who cannot speak English should be encouraged to learn the language of the land as part of a formal induction process. But, we must think about those who may have learning difficulties or are illiterate. Elderly people too find it more difficult to learn languages quickly and integrate confidently into a new environment. Will the Government make exceptions for people who have these difficulties?

"There is also the issue of immigration and allowing foreign workers in Britain on a Green Card system" he added, "We as a society need to recognise that Britain needs foreign workers for its economy to succeed. We cannot invite people into this country, recruit them from abroad, and then subject them to abuse and harassment when they get here."

The White Paper has been published for consultation until 21 March, 2002.

To download the white paper click here,"Secure Borders, Safe Haven- Integration with Diversity in Modern Britain" (PDF version available online)

Click here to visit the Home Office website
Click here to visit the Commission for Racial equality website.

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