Asylum and Immigration — 2 Feb 2000

I beg to move,

That this House condemns the Government's failure to deal with the widespread abuse of the right to political asylum and its incompetent management of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate; notes that the number of asylum applications in 1999 exceeded 71,000, more than double the total inherited by the Government when it came to office, and that the backlog of unprocessed asylum applications has doubled over the past two years to a total of more than 100,000; further notes with great concern the Seventh Report of the Committee of Public Accounts (HC 130) about the Government's mismanagement of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, and the fears of local authorities about the practical difficulties associated with the asylum seekers dispersal scheme; believes that the Government's 'soft touch' policy has helped bring about the current crisis; and calls upon the Government to take urgent action to reduce the backlog of unprocessed immigration and asylum applications, to put in place new and effective systems of enforcement and to ensure the integrity of the United Kingdom's immigration and asylum controls.

I beg to move, To leave out from "House" to the end of the Question, and to add instead thereof:

"believes that both the last Government and the present Government have failed to respond properly to the asylum, immigration and nationality demands made of this country; is aware of widespread discontent with the delays in processing immigration applications and that the number of unprocessed asylum applications has doubled over the previous two years to a total of over 100,000; takes very seriously the Seventh Report of the Committee of Public Accounts (HC 130), which criticises the Government's mismanagement of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate and the fears of local authorities about the practical difficulties associated with the asylum-seekers dispersal scheme; calls upon the Government, which has now been in office for over a thousand days, to take more effective and urgent action to reduce the backlog of unprocessed applications and to improve the effectiveness of decision-making; believes that the necessary staff should be employed immediately so that good-quality decisions can be made quickly, and that the interests of applicants and taxpayers alike can be met in a system which treats every applicant fairly; and supports the Commission

The PCS concluded that it

"firmly believes that unless the implementation of these provisions are accompanied by the investment of significant additional resources in the form of extra staff, further delays and backlogs are inevitable, jeopardising not only the viability of this particular strategy but the main aims of the Bill, in general."--[ Official Report, Special Standing Committee , 22 March 1999; c. 448-49.]

He described it, I regret to say, as "a losing battle." That is one of the problems. It is all very well hearing and dismissing appeals, but, after that, one does absolutely nothing. That means that the interests of genuine asylum applicants are not met and are damaged.

Question put, That the amendment be made:--

The House divided: Ayes 38, Noes 147.

Historical Hansard | Online Hansard |

Public Whip is run as a free not-for-profit service. If you'd like to support us, please consider switching your (UK) electricity and/or gas to Octopus Energy or tip us via Ko-Fi.

All Votes Cast - sorted by party

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party are marked in red. Also shows which MPs were ministers at the time of this vote. You can also see every eligible MP including those who did not vote in this division.

Sort by: Name | Constituency | Party | Vote

NameConstituencyPartyVote
Peter AinsworthEast SurreyConno
Sir David AmessSouthend WestCon (front bench)no
Michael AncramDevizesCon (front bench)no
James ArbuthnotNorth East HampshireCon (front bench)no
Mr David AtkinsonBournemouth EastConno
Peter AtkinsonHexhamContellno
Tony BaldryBanburyCon (front bench)no
John BercowBuckinghamCon (front bench)no
Paul BeresfordMole ValleyCon (front bench)no
Crispin BluntReigateCon (front bench)no
Mr Richard BodyBoston and SkegnessConno
Tim BoswellDaventryCon (front bench)no
Peter BottomleyWorthing WestCon (front bench)no
Mrs Virginia BottomleySouth West SurreyConno
Graham BradyAltrincham and Sale WestCon (front bench)no
Julian BrazierCanterburyCon (front bench)no
Mr Peter BrookeCities of London and WestminsterCon (front bench)no
Angela BrowningTiverton and HonitonCon (front bench)no
Simon BurnsWest ChelmsfordCon (front bench)no
John ButterfillBournemouth WestConno
Bill CashStoneCon (front bench)no
Sir Sydney ChapmanChipping BarnetConno
Christopher ChopeChristchurchCon (front bench)no
James ClappisonHertsmereCon (front bench)no
Dr Michael ClarkRayleighConno
Geoffrey Clifton-BrownCotswoldCon (front bench)no
Mr Tim CollinsWestmorland and LonsdaleConno
Mr Michael ColvinRomseyConno
Patrick CormackSouth StaffordshireCon (front bench)no
Mr James CranBeverley and HoldernessConno
David CurrySkipton and RiponConno
Quentin DaviesGrantham and StamfordConno
David DavisHaltemprice and HowdenCon (front bench)no
Mr Stephen DayCheadleConno
Alan DuncanRutland and MeltonCon (front bench)no
Iain Duncan SmithChingford and Woodford GreenCon (front bench)no
Sir Peter EmeryEast DevonConno
Mr David FaberWestburyConno
Michael FabricantLichfieldCon (front bench)no
Michael FallonSevenoaksCon (front bench)no
Mr Howard FlightArundel and South DownsConno
Eric ForthBromley and ChislehurstConno
Mr Norman FowlerSutton ColdfieldConno
Liam FoxWoodspringCon (front bench)no
Christopher FraserMid Dorset and North PooleConno
Roger GaleNorth ThanetCon (front bench)no
Nick GibbBognor Regis and LittlehamptonCon (front bench)no
Mr Christopher GillLudlowConno
Dame Cheryl GillanChesham and AmershamCon (front bench)no
Mrs Teresa GormanBillericayConno
Damian GreenAshfordCon (front bench)no
John GreenwayRyedaleConno
Dominic GrieveBeaconsfieldCon (front bench)no
John GummerSuffolk CoastalConno
William HagueRichmond (Yorks)Con (front bench)no
Sir Archie HamiltonEpsom and EwellCon (front bench)no
Philip HammondRunnymede and WeybridgeCon (front bench)no
Mr Nick HawkinsSurrey HeathConno
Oliver HealdNorth East HertfordshireCon (front bench)no
David Heathcoat-AmoryWellsConno
Douglas HoggSleaford and North HykehamConno
John HoramOrpingtonConno
Michael HowardFolkestone and HytheConno
Gerald HowarthAldershotCon (front bench)no
Mr Andrew HunterBasingstokeConno
Michael JackFyldeConno
Robert JacksonWantageConno
Bernard JenkinNorth EssexCon (front bench)no
Julie KirkbrideBromsgroveConno
Eleanor LaingEpping ForestCon (front bench)tellno
Jacqui LaitBeckenhamConno
Andrew LansleySouth CambridgeshireCon (front bench)no
Edward LeighGainsboroughCon (front bench)no
Oliver LetwinWest DorsetConno
Julian LewisNew Forest EastCon (front bench)no
David LidingtonAylesburyCon (front bench)no
Peter LilleyHitchin and HarpendenConno
Sir Peter LloydFarehamConno
Tim LoughtonEast Worthing and ShorehamCon (front bench)no
Peter LuffMid WorcestershireCon (front bench)no
Sir Nicholas LyellNorth East BedfordshireConno
Mr John MacGregorSouth NorfolkConno
Andrew MacKayBracknellConno
Mr David MadelSouth West BedfordshireConno
Mr John MajorHuntingdonConno
Humfrey MalinsWokingConno
Francis MaudeHorshamCon (front bench)no
Dr Brian MawhinneyNorth West CambridgeshireConno
Theresa MayMaidenheadCon (front bench)no
Anne McIntoshVale of YorkCon (front bench)no
Patrick McLoughlinWest DerbyshireCon (front bench)no
Malcolm MossNorth East CambridgeshireConno
Mr Patrick NichollsTeignbridgeConno
Mr Archie NormanTunbridge WellsConno
Stephen O'BrienEddisburyCon (front bench)no
Richard OttawayCroydon SouthCon (front bench)no
Mr Richard PageSouth West HertfordshireConno
James PaiceSouth East CambridgeshireCon (front bench)no
Owen PatersonNorth ShropshireCon (front bench)no
Eric PicklesBrentwood and OngarCon (front bench)no
Mr Michael PortilloKensington and ChelseaConno
Mr David PriorNorth NorfolkCon (front bench)no
John RandallUxbridgeCon (front bench)no
Andrew RobathanBlabyCon (front bench)no
Laurence RobertsonTewkesburyCon (front bench)no
Mrs Marion RoeBroxbourneConno
Mr Andrew RoweFaversham and Mid KentConno
David RuffleyBury St EdmundsCon (front bench)no
Mr Jonathan SayeedMid BedfordshireConno
Mrs Gillian ShephardSouth West NorfolkConno
Richard ShepherdAldridge-BrownhillsConno
Keith SimpsonMid NorfolkCon (front bench)no
Nicholas SoamesMid SussexConno
Caroline SpelmanMeridenCon (front bench)no
Michael SpicerWest WorcestershireCon (front bench)no
Richard SpringWest SuffolkConno
Mr Nick St AubynGuildfordConno
John StanleyTonbridge and MallingCon (front bench)no
Anthony SteenTotnesConno
Gary StreeterSouth West DevonCon (front bench)no
Desmond SwayneNew Forest WestCon (front bench)no
Robert SymsPooleCon (front bench)no
Peter TapsellLouth and HorncastleConno
Ian TaylorEsher and WaltonConno
Mr John TaylorSolihullConno
Mr Teddy TaylorRochford and Southend EastConno
Mr John TownendEast YorkshireConno
David TredinnickBosworthCon (front bench)no
Mr Michael TrendWindsorConno
Andrew TyrieChichesterCon (front bench)no
Peter ViggersGosportConno
Robert WalterNorth DorsetCon (front bench)no
Charles WardleBexhill and Battlewhilst Conno
Nigel WatersonEastbourneConno
Sir Ray WhitneyWycombeConno
John WhittingdaleMaldon and East ChelmsfordConno
Ann WiddecombeMaidstone and The WealdConno
Mr John WilkinsonRuislip - NorthwoodConno
David WillettsHavantCon (front bench)no
David WilshireSpelthorneConno
Ann WintertonCongletonConno
Nicholas WintertonMacclesfieldConno
Tim YeoSouth SuffolkCon (front bench)no
George YoungNorth West HampshireCon (front bench)no
Mr Martin BellTattonIndependentaye
Mr Richard AllanSheffield, HallamLDem (front bench)aye
Norman BakerLewesLDem (front bench)aye
Mrs Jackie BallardTauntonLDemaye
Alan BeithBerwick-upon-TweedLDemaye
Tom BrakeCarshalton and WallingtonLDem (front bench)tellaye
Dr Peter BrandIsle of WightLDemaye
Colin BreedSouth East CornwallLDemaye
Malcolm BruceGordonLDem (front bench)aye
Mr John BurnettTorridge and West DevonLDemaye
Mr David ChidgeyEastleighLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Brian CotterWeston-Super-MareLDem (front bench)aye
Edward DaveyKingston and SurbitonLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Ronnie FearnSouthportLDemaye
Don FosterBathLDem (front bench)aye
Andrew GeorgeSt IvesLDem (front bench)aye
Mike HancockPortsmouth SouthLDem (front bench)aye
Evan HarrisOxford West and AbingdonLDemaye
Nick HarveyNorth DevonLDem (front bench)aye
David HeathSomerton and FromeLDem (front bench)aye
Simon HughesNorth Southwark and BermondseyLDem (front bench)aye
Paul KeetchHerefordLDemaye
Charles KennedyRoss, Skye and Inverness WestLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Archy KirkwoodRoxburgh and BerwickshireLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Richard LivseyBrecon and RadnorshireLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Robert MaclennanCaithness, Sutherland and Easter RossLDemaye
Mrs Ray MichieArgyll and ButeLDemaye
Michael MooreTweeddale, Ettrick and LauderdaleLDem (front bench)aye
Mark OatenWinchesterLDemaye
Mr David RendelNewburyLDemaye
Adrian SandersTorbayLDem (front bench)aye
Robert SmithWest Aberdeenshire and KincardineLDem (front bench)aye
Andrew StunellHazel GroveLDem (front bench)tellaye
Matthew TaylorTruro and St AustellLDem (front bench)aye
Dr Jenny TongeRichmond ParkLDemaye
Mr Paul TylerNorth CornwallLDem (front bench)aye
Steve WebbNorthavonLDem (front bench)aye
Phil WillisHarrogate and KnaresboroughLDem (front bench)aye
Elfyn LlwydMeirionnydd Nant ConwyPC (front bench)aye
Mr Dafydd WigleyCaernarfonPCaye
Mr Roy BeggsEast AntrimUUPno
Jeffrey M. DonaldsonLagan ValleyUUP (front bench)no
Martin SmythBelfast SouthUUPno
John TaylorStrangfordUUPno
Mr William ThompsonWest TyroneUUPno

About the Project

The Public Whip is a not-for-profit, open source website created in 2003 by Francis Irving and Julian Todd and now run by Bairwell Ltd.

The Whip on the Web

Help keep PublicWhip alive