Secure Borders, Safe Havens
01 February 2002
MAJOR CHANGES TO UK IMMIGRATION LAWS ANNOUNCED IN "WHITE PAPER".
The home secretary David Blunkett's white paper, "Secure Borders, Safe Haven", was released on Thursday 7th February.
It is a wide ranging document dealing with how economic migrants, asylum seekers and new citizens would be dealt with.
The white paper's main proposals are:
Legal migrants
The working holidaymakers scheme, under which Commonwealth citizens, mainly South African, Australian and New Zealand single 17 to 27-year-olds, come to the UK for two years, would be extended to eastern Europeans. A consultation
paper is to be published to ensure that the scheme is as inclusive as possible and not dominated by the above Commwealth countries.
The seasonal agricultural workers' scheme would be extended across the economy with quotas for industries short of labour. Under the scheme a worker could stay up to six months but would have no right to bring dependants.
The work permit scheme would be extended to those with medium skills from outside the EU coming for a specific job. Permit holders would be able to apply to stay in Britain after four years.
Charges would be introduced for work permits.
Foreign imans and others who come to Britain to work as ministers of religion would have to speak English.
Asylum
Campsfield House detention centre, near Oxford, would close, but overall capacity in secure removals would be expanded by 40% to 4,000 places by next spring.
An EU and United Nations high commission for refugees scheme would allow a quota of asylum seekers to enter Britain
each year. The intention is to establish gateways for those most in need of protection to come here legally.
Vouchers would be phased out by the end of 2002.
The 1999 laws giving legal right for bail hearings in court for those in detention would be repealed. Eight sites have been
identified for the introduction of a "seamless system" of induction, accommodation, reporting and removal centres. The dispersal scheme outside London and south-east would continue but based on language cluster areas.
There would be 10 days to appeal against refusal of claim for asylum and no appeal against removal. The programme
assisting those who want to return home before their asylum claim is determined would be expanded.
A confidential hotline to expose immigration abuse would be set up.
There would be enhanced opportunties for those accepted as refugees through a refugee integration programme.
Citizenship
Applicants for citizenship would have to demonstrate they had a certain standard of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic. Applicants would need to produce certificates showing they had passed a test.
A ceremony would be held to celebrate new citizens. Applicants would have lived in Britain for at least three years and woud be asked to swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen and to uphold democratic values and respect human rights. Existing citizens would not have to take the pledge.
A study pack would include a statement of what it meant to be a British citizen.
There would be new powers to strip individuals of citizenship if they had hidden involvement in terrorism or war crimes.
Suspected war criminals would be refused entry.
There would be more flexibility in residence requirements and reform of other nationality rules.
Marriage and family visits
Talks to be held with communities that practice arranged marriages.
Sham marriages would be tackled by increasing the probationary period for leave to remain after marriage from 12 months to two years.
Immigration rules for unmarried partners would be revised but those who came to Britain for a different purpose and then
lodged a marriage application would be banned. Currently, 75% of "marriage" applicants enter Britain under a different category.
Illegal immigration
The white paper suggests there are hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants concentrated in low wage sectors such as catering, cleaning, hospitality, construction and agriculture.
Employers and illegal workers would be targeted by strengthened immigration service teams.
Those with no right to stay in UK would be removed. Employers who knowingly employed illegal workers would be fined up to £5,000 for each illegal worker
Entitlement cards would be used as means of identification for potential employees. to curb fraud.
The maximum penalty for people smugglers would be increased from 10 to 14 years and would cover those who helped them to remain in the country unlawfully.
Children born in Britain to parents who were illegal entrants or here on temporary admission would be brought into the
immigration process at an earlier stage so as not to delay the family's deportation.
Trafficking for sexual exploitation and trafficking for labour exploitation would be made criminal offences carrying a penalty of up to 14 years in prison.
The victims of trafficking and illegal immigrants suffering exploitation would be dealt with compassionately and offered help.
Border Controls
A pilot scheme at Prague airport for checking passengers against immigration service database before they travel to the
UK would be extended to other countries. Airlines would be able to check passenger details before flights.
Heartbeat sensors, x-ray and gamma ray scanners would be used at Dover and Coquelles to spot hidden illegal entrants.
New technology, such as equipment for iris or face recognition or fingerprints, would be used, to speed through frequent
travellers and those who have been accepted to travel into the UK.
The Dublin convention, which governs the movement of asylum seekers from France to Britain, would be replaced.