Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill — Remove the government's power to remove subsistence-only support from all asylum seekers — rejected — 24 Oct 2002 at 15:51
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 government also has the power to stop supporting asylum seekers under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 if they are being housed in these accommodation centres[3].
The aim of the amendment in this vote was to prevent the government removing this support because of concerns over family and child welfare[4]. However, it was defeated.
The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill became law in 2002. Its main aims were to:[5]
- 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] Lord Dholakia, House of Lords, 24 October 2002
- [2] Section 16 in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act
- [3] Section 43 in the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act
- [4] Lord Dholakia, House of Lords, 24 October 2002
- [5] Based on The Guardian's A-Z of legislation
Party Summary
Votes by party, red entries are votes against the majority for that party.
What is Tell? '+1 tell' means that in addition one member of that party was a teller for that division lobby.
What is Turnout? This is measured against the total membership of the party at the time of the vote.| Party | Majority (Not-Content) | Minority (Content) | Turnout |
| Bishop | 0 | 1 | 4.2% |
| Con | 3 | 3 | 2.7% |
| Crossbench | 15 | 8 | 13.4% |
| Lab | 101 (+2 tell) | 0 | 52.8% |
| LDem | 0 | 34 (+2 tell) | 54.5% |
| Total: | 119 | 46 | 24.9% |
All lords Eligible to Vote - sorted by party
Includes lords who were absent (or abstained) from this vote.