Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill — Government must make food and other services available to people living in accommodation centres — rejected — 10 Jul 2002 at 19:10

The majority Not-Contents rejected an amendment^[1] to the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill.

The Bill gives the government the power to set up accommodation centres for destitute asylum seekers and people with residency restrictions^[2]. The Bill also sets out a list of the facilities and services that can be made available at accommodation centres^[3]. Under the Bill the government "may" provide these facilities. The intention of the amendment in this vote was to change the wording of the Bill so that the government "shall" have to provide these services. However, it was defeated.

The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill became law in 2002. Its main aims were to:^[4]

• Allow asylum seekers to be detained at any time
• Disallow appeals from within the UK from failed asylum seekers who are citizens of a specific country
• Deny asylum seekers support unless they make their claim "as soon as reasonably practicable" after arrival into the UK
• Create accommodation centres to house destitute asylum seekers

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• [1] Baroness Anelay of St Johns, House of Lords, 10 July 2002
• [2] Section 16 in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act
• [3] Section 29 in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act
• [4] Based on The Guardian's A-Z of legislation

Debate in Parliament | Historical Hansard | Source |