Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, Etc.) Bill — Burden of proof on prosecution rather than defendant in cases where immigrants to not have travel documents — rejected — 1 Mar 2004 at 16:45

The majority No voters rejected an amendment[1] to the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, Etc.) Bill.

The Bill makes it a criminal offence for people entering the UK to not have a travel document with them unless they have a reasonable excuse[2]. As it stood, the Bill required the defendant to prove that he/she had a reasonable excuse for not having a valid travel document.

The intention of the amendment was, in circumstances where the defendant produced evidence that showed they had a reasonable excuse, it is then up to the prosecution to prove that this isn't satisfactory. However, the amendment was defeated.

In supporting the amendment Annabelle Ewing MP explained that:

  • 'It has always been the case that, in criminal prosecutions, the burden is placed on the Crown to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt... It is astonishing that the Government plan, with a stroke of the pen, to get rid of that principle as far as asylum is concerned.'[3]

However, Vera Baird MP explained that:

  • 'The only person who knows how the document came to be destroyed, or why it does not exist, is the person who does not have their document with them when they arrive. How is the prosecution to disprove it if the person says, "My passport fell overboard when I was moving from a big ship to a small boat somewhere just off the coast of Malaysia"? A person has only to say that and the amendment would then impose on the Crown the necessity to disprove beyond reasonable doubt that such an event had occurred, which would be quite impossible.'[4]

The Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill became law in 2004. Its main aims were to:[5]

  • Simplify the process of appeal for asylum seekers
  • Criminalise people who arrive into the UK without a valid travel document unless they have a reasonable excuse
  • Stop supporting failed asylum seekers and their families if they do not leave the UK
  • Allow the government to tag and track asylum seekers
  • Provide accommodation to failed asylum seekers who cannot return home immediately

----

Debate in Parliament | Historical Hansard | Source |

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All Votes Cast - sorted by constituency

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.

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NameConstituencyPartyVote
Hywel FrancisAberavonLab (minister)no
Frank DoranAberdeen CentralLabno
Mr Malcolm SavidgeAberdeen NorthLabno
Anne BeggAberdeen SouthLab (minister)no
Mrs Helen LiddellAirdrie and ShottsLabno
Judy MallaberAmber ValleyLabno
Michael WeirAngusSNP (front bench)aye
Alan ReidArgyll and ButeLDem (front bench)aye
Geoff HoonAshfieldLab (minister)no
David HeyesAshton-under-LyneLab (minister)no
Sandra OsborneAyrLabno
Alex SalmondBanff and BuchanSNP (front bench)aye
Eric IllsleyBarnsley CentralLabno
Jeff EnnisBarnsley East and MexboroughLabno
John HuttonBarrow and FurnessLab (minister)no
Angela SmithBasildonLab (minister)no
Don FosterBathLDem (front bench)aye
Martin LintonBatterseaLabno
Patrick HallBedfordLabno
Alan BeithBerwick-upon-TweedLDem (front bench)aye
Ms Oona KingBethnal Green and BowLabno
Mr Nigel BeardBexleyheath and CrayfordLabno
Frank FieldBirkenheadLab (minister)no
Gisela StuartBirmingham, EdgbastonLab (minister)no
Siôn SimonBirmingham, ErdingtonLabno
Richard BurdenBirmingham, NorthfieldLab (minister)no
Khalid MahmoodBirmingham, Perry BarrLab (minister)no
Lynne JonesBirmingham, Selly OakLabno
Roger GodsiffBirmingham, Sparkbrook and Small HeathLabno
Ms Estelle MorrisBirmingham, YardleyLab (minister)no
Joan HumbleBlackpool North and FleetwoodLabno
Gordon MarsdenBlackpool SouthLab (minister)no
Mr John McWilliamBlaydonLabno
Ronnie CampbellBlyth ValleyLabno
Dennis SkinnerBolsoverLab (minister)no
David CrausbyBolton North EastLab (minister)no
Brian IddonBolton South EastLabno
Ruth KellyBolton WestLab (minister)no
Joe BentonBootleLab (minister)no
Terry RooneyBradford NorthLabno
Gerry SutcliffeBradford SouthLab (minister)no
Mr Alan HurstBraintreeLabno
Sarah TeatherBrent EastLDem (front bench)aye
Barry GardinerBrent NorthLab (minister)no
Mr Paul BoatengBrent SouthLab (minister)no
Ian CawseyBrigg and GooleLabno
Desmond TurnerBrighton, KemptownLabno
Ms Jean CorstonBristol EastLab (minister)no
Dawn PrimaroloBristol SouthLab (minister)no
Mrs Valerie DaveyBristol WestLabno
Nick PalmerBroxtoweLabno
Mr Peter PikeBurnleyLabno
Janet DeanBurtonLabno
David ChaytorBury NorthLabno
Wayne DavidCaerphillyLab (minister)no
John ThursoCaithness, Sutherland and Easter RossLDem (front bench)aye
Chris McCaffertyCalder ValleyLabno
Mrs Anne CampbellCambridgeLabno
Tony WrightCannock ChaseLabno
Mr Jon Owen JonesCardiff CentralLabno
Alun MichaelCardiff South and PenarthLab (minister)no
Kevin BrennanCardiff WestLab (minister)no
Eric MartlewCarlisleLabno
Adam PriceCarmarthen East and DinefwrPC (front bench)aye
Nick AingerCarmarthen West and South PembrokeshireLab (minister)no
Mr George FoulkesCarrick, Cumnock and Doon ValleyLabno
Tom BrakeCarshalton and WallingtonLDem (front bench)aye
John MacDougallCentral FifeLabno
Mr Simon ThomasCeredigionPC (front bench)aye
Jonathan R ShawChatham and AylesfordLabno
Paul HolmesChesterfieldLDem (front bench)aye
Lindsay HoyleChorleyLab (minister)no
Christine RussellCity of ChesterLabno
Mr Gerry SteinbergCity of DurhamLabno
Hugh BayleyCity of YorkLab (minister)no
Shona McIsaacCleethorpesLabno
Martyn JonesClwyd SouthLabno
Mr Tony WorthingtonClydebank and MilngavieLabno
Jimmy HoodClydesdaleLab (minister)no
Tom ClarkeCoatbridge and ChrystonLab (minister)no
Bob RussellColchesterLDem (front bench)tellaye
Kali MountfordColne ValleyLabno
Betty WilliamsConwyLabno
Dr Jack CunninghamCopelandLab (minister)no
Phil HopeCorbyLab (minister)no
Bob AinsworthCoventry North EastLab (minister)no
Jim CunninghamCoventry SouthLabno
Laura MoffattCrawleyLabno
Gwyneth DunwoodyCrewe and NantwichLabno
Geraint DaviesCroydon CentralLabno
Malcolm WicksCroydon NorthLab (minister)no
Rosemary McKennaCumbernauld and KilsythLabno
Jon CruddasDagenhamLab (minister)no
Alan MilburnDarlingtonLabno
Howard StoateDartfordLabno
David HansonDelynLabno
Mr Andrew BennettDenton and ReddishLabno
Bob LaxtonDerby NorthLabno
Margaret BeckettDerby SouthLab (minister)no
Caroline FlintDon ValleyLab (minister)no
Rosie WintertonDoncaster CentralLab (minister)no
Mr Kevin HughesDoncaster NorthLabno
Gwyn ProsserDoverLabno
Professor Ross CranstonDudley NorthLabno
Ian PearsonDudley SouthLab (minister)no
Tessa JowellDulwich and West NorwoodLab (minister)no
Russell BrownDumfriesLab (minister)no
Mr Ernie RossDundee WestLabno
Rachel SquireDunfermline WestLabno
Steve PoundEaling NorthLab (minister)no
Piara S KhabraEaling, SouthallLabno
John CummingsEasingtonLabno
Stephen TimmsEast HamLab (minister)no
Adam IngramEast KilbrideLab (minister)no
Jim MurphyEast RenfrewshireLab (minister)tellno
Mr David ChidgeyEastleighLDem (front bench)aye
Ian StewartEcclesLabno
Gavin StrangEdinburgh East and MusselburghLabno
Mark LazarowiczEdinburgh North and LeithLab (minister)no
Dr Lynda ClarkEdinburgh PentlandsLab (minister)no
John BarrettEdinburgh WestLDem (front bench)aye
Andrew MillerEllesmere Port and NestonLab (minister)no
Colin BurgonElmetLabno
Clive EffordElthamLab (minister)no
Joan RyanEnfield NorthLab (minister)no
Stephen TwiggEnfield, SouthgateLab (minister)no
Liz BlackmanErewashLabno
John AustinErith and ThamesmeadLabno
Ben BradshawExeterLab (minister)no
Michael ConnartyFalkirk EastLab (minister)no
Eric JoyceFalkirk WestLab (minister)no
Ms Candy AthertonFalmouth and CamborneLabno
Alan KeenFeltham and HestonLabno
Rudi VisFinchley and Golders GreenLabno
Mrs Diana OrganForest of DeanLabno
Ms Joyce QuinGateshead East and Washington WestLabno
Vernon CoakerGedlingLab (minister)no
Paul ClarkGillinghamLab (minister)tellno
John RobertsonGlasgow AnnieslandLab (minister)no
Tom HarrisGlasgow CathcartLabno
Ann McKechinGlasgow MaryhillLab (minister)no
Thomas McAvoyGlasgow RutherglenLab (minister)no
David MarshallGlasgow ShettlestonLabno
Parmjit DhandaGloucesterLabno
Martin CatonGowerLab (minister)no
Mr Chris PondGraveshamLab (minister)no
Austin MitchellGreat GrimsbyLab (minister)no
Anthony D WrightGreat YarmouthLabno
David CairnsGreenock and InverclydeLabno
Nick RaynsfordGreenwich and WoolwichLab (minister)no
Ms Sue DoughtyGuildfordLDem (front bench)aye
Diane AbbottHackney North and Stoke NewingtonLabno
Mr Brian SedgemoreHackney South and ShoreditchLabno
Derek TwiggHaltonLab (minister)no
John ReidHamilton North and BellshillLab (minister)no
Mr Bill TynanHamilton SouthLabno
Mr Iain ColemanHammersmith and FulhamLabno
Glenda JacksonHampstead and HighgateLabaye
Phil WillisHarrogate and KnaresboroughLDem (front bench)aye
Tony McNultyHarrow EastLab (minister)no
Gareth ThomasHarrow WestLab (minister)no
Mr Peter MandelsonHartlepoolLabno
Mr Ivan HendersonHarwichLabno
Michael Jabez FosterHastings and RyeLabno
Andrew StunellHazel GroveLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Tony McWalterHemel HempsteadLabno
Jon TrickettHemsworthLab (minister)no
Paul KeetchHerefordLDem (front bench)aye
Jim DobbinHeywood and MiddletonLabno
Frank DobsonHolborn and St PancrasLabno
John CryerHornchurchLabno
Fraser KempHoughton and Washington EastLab (minister)no
Barry SheermanHuddersfieldLab (minister)no
Greg PopeHyndburnLabno
Mike GapesIlford SouthLab (minister)no
Mr David StewartInverness East, Nairn and LochaberLabno
Chris MoleIpswichLabno
Jeremy CorbynIslington NorthLabno
Mr Chris SmithIslington South and FinsburyLabno
Don TouhigIslwynLab (minister)no
Stephen HepburnJarrowLabno
Ann CryerKeighleyLabno
Des BrowneKilmarnock and LoudounLab (minister)no
Edward DaveyKingston and SurbitonLDem (front bench)aye
Roger BerryKingswoodLabno
Dr Lewis MoonieKirkcaldyLabno
George HowarthKnowsley North and Sefton EastLabno
Edward O'HaraKnowsley SouthLabno
Mr Hilton DawsonLancaster and WyreLabaye
Hilary BennLeeds CentralLab (minister)no
Mr Harold BestLeeds North WestLabaye
John BattleLeeds WestLabno
Dr Jim MarshallLeicester SouthLabaye
Patricia HewittLeicester WestLab (minister)no
Andy BurnhamLeighLabno
Norman BakerLewesLDemaye
Bridget PrenticeLewisham EastLab (minister)no
Jim DowdLewisham WestLab (minister)no
Joan RuddockLewisham, DeptfordLab (minister)no
Harry CohenLeyton and WansteadLabno
Gillian MerronLincolnLab (minister)no
Mr Tam DalyellLinlithgowLabno
Maria EagleLiverpool, GarstonLab (minister)no
Louise EllmanLiverpool, RiversideLab (minister)no
Robert WareingLiverpool, West DerbyLabno
Robin CookLivingstonLabno
Andy ReedLoughboroughLabno
Mr Matthew GreenLudlowLDem (front bench)aye
Kelvin HopkinsLuton NorthLab (minister)no
Margaret MoranLuton SouthLab (minister)no
Ian McCartneyMakerfieldLab (minister)no
Graham StringerManchester, BlackleyLab (minister)no
Gerald KaufmanManchester, GortonLab (minister)no
Mr Keith BradleyManchester, WithingtonLab (minister)no
Robert Marshall-AndrewsMedwayLabno
Elfyn LlwydMeirionnydd Nant ConwyPC (front bench)aye
Dai HavardMerthyr Tydfil and RhymneyLab (minister)no
Annette BrookeMid Dorset and North PooleLDem (front bench)tellaye
Stuart BellMiddlesbroughLab (minister)no
Ashok KumarMiddlesbrough South and East ClevelandLabno
David HamiltonMidlothianLab (minister)no
Phyllis StarkeyMilton Keynes South WestLabno
Siobhain McDonaghMitcham and MordenLab (minister)no
Mr Huw EdwardsMonmouthLabno
Lembit ÖpikMontgomeryshireLDem (front bench)aye
Geraldine SmithMorecambe and LunesdaleLabno
Colin ChallenMorley and RothwellLabno
Frank RoyMotherwell and WishawLab (minister)no
Mr Calum MacDonaldNa h-Eileanan an IarLabno
Peter HainNeathLab (minister)no
Mr David RendelNewburyLDem (front bench)aye
Nick BrownNewcastle upon Tyne East and WallsendLabno
Doug HendersonNewcastle upon Tyne NorthLabno
Paul FarrellyNewcastle-under-LymeLab (minister)no
Paul FlynnNewport WestLab (minister)no
Mr Seamus MallonNewry and ArmaghSDLPaye
Mr Bill O'BrienNormantonLabno
Mr Paul TylerNorth CornwallLDem (front bench)aye
Nick HarveyNorth DevonLDem (front bench)aye
Kevan JonesNorth DurhamLab (minister)no
Menzies CampbellNorth East FifeLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Brian WhiteNorth East Milton KeynesLabno
Norman LambNorth NorfolkLDem (front bench)aye
Simon HughesNorth Southwark and BermondseyLDem (front bench)aye
Stephen ByersNorth TynesideLabno
Mike O'BrienNorth WarwickshireLab (minister)no
Hilary ArmstrongNorth West DurhamLab (minister)no
David TaylorNorth West LeicestershireLabno
Sally KeebleNorthampton NorthLabno
Steve WebbNorthavonLDem (front bench)aye
Ian GibsonNorwich NorthLabno
John HeppellNottingham EastLab (minister)no
Graham AllenNottingham NorthLabno
Bill OlnerNuneatonLabno
Mr Martin O'NeillOchilLab (minister)no
Huw Irranca-DaviesOgmoreLab (minister)no
Phil WoolasOldham East and SaddleworthLab (minister)no
Alistair CarmichaelOrkney and ShetlandLDem (front bench)aye
Andrew SmithOxford EastLab (minister)no
Evan HarrisOxford West and AbingdonLDemaye
Mrs Irene AdamsPaisley NorthLab (minister)no
Douglas AlexanderPaisley SouthLab (minister)no
Gordon PrenticePendleLabno
Ms Annabelle EwingPerthSNP (front bench)aye
Mr David JamiesonPlymouth, DevonportLab (minister)no
Linda GilroyPlymouth, SuttonLabno
Yvette CooperPontefract and CastlefordLab (minister)no
Jim FitzpatrickPoplar and Canning TownLab (minister)no
Mr Syd RapsonPortsmouth NorthLabno
Mrs Jackie LawrencePreseli PembrokeshireLabno
Paul TruswellPudseyLabno
Mr Tony ColmanPutneyLabno
Ms Jane GriffithsReading EastLabno
Martin SalterReading WestLabno
Vera BairdRedcarLabno
Jacqui SmithRedditchLab (minister)no
Karen BuckRegent's Park and Kensington NorthLab (minister)no
Chris BryantRhonddaLab (minister)no
Dr Jenny TongeRichmond ParkLDemaye
Sandra GidleyRomseyLDem (front bench)aye
Charles KennedyRoss, Skye and Inverness WestLDem (front bench)aye
Janet AndersonRossendale and DarwenLabno
Kevin BarronRother ValleyLab (minister)no
Denis MacShaneRotherhamLab (minister)no
Mr Archy KirkwoodRoxburgh and BerwickshireLDem (front bench)aye
Hazel BlearsSalfordLab (minister)no
Mr Lawrie QuinnScarborough and WhitbyLabno
John GroganSelbyLabno
Richard CabornSheffield CentralLab (minister)no
Clive BettsSheffield, AttercliffeLab (minister)no
Mr Richard AllanSheffield, HallamLDem (front bench)aye
Meg MunnSheffield, HeeleyLabno
Mrs Helen JacksonSheffield, HillsboroughLabno
Paddy TippingSherwoodLabno
Chris LeslieShipleyLab (minister)no
Derek WyattSittingbourne and SheppeyLabno
David HeathSomerton and FromeLDem (front bench)aye
David BurnsideSouth Antrimwhilst UUPno
Mark ToddSouth DerbyshireLabno
Colin BreedSouth East CornwallLDem (front bench)aye
David BorrowSouth RibbleLabno
David MilibandSouth ShieldsLab (minister)no
Stephen LadymanSouth ThanetLab (minister)no
Alan WhiteheadSouthampton, TestLabno
John PughSouthportLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Kerry PollardSt AlbansLabno
David KidneyStaffordLabno
Charlotte AtkinsStaffordshire MoorlandsLab (minister)no
James PurnellStalybridge and HydeLabno
Anne McGuireStirlingLab (minister)no
Ann CoffeyStockportLabno
Frank CookStockton NorthLabno
Dari TaylorStockton SouthLabno
Mark FisherStoke-on-Trent CentralLabno
Joan WalleyStoke-on-Trent NorthLab (minister)no
Mr John LyonsStrathkelvin and BearsdenLabno
Beverley HughesStretford and UrmstonLab (minister)no
David DrewStroudLab (minister)no
Bill EtheringtonSunderland NorthLabno
Chris MullinSunderland SouthLab (minister)no
Paul BurstowSutton and CheamLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Donald AndersonSwansea EastLab (minister)no
Brian JenkinsTamworthLabno
Richard Younger-RossTeignbridgeLDem (front bench)aye
David WrightTelfordLab (minister)no
Mr Peter BradleyThe WrekinLabno
Andrew MacKinlayThurrockLabno
Adrian SandersTorbayLDem (front bench)aye
Mr John BurnettTorridge and West DevonLDem (front bench)aye
David LammyTottenhamLab (minister)no
Michael MooreTweeddale, Ettrick and LauderdaleLDem (front bench)aye
Vincent CableTwickenhamLDem (front bench)aye
David ClellandTyne BridgeLabno
Alan CampbellTynemouthLabno
Chris RuaneVale of ClwydLabno
Kate HoeyVauxhallLab (minister)no
Mr David HinchliffeWakefieldLabno
David WinnickWalsall NorthLab (minister)no
Bruce GeorgeWalsall SouthLabno
Neil GerrardWalthamstowLabno
Denis MurphyWansbeckLabno
Helen JonesWarrington NorthLab (minister)no
James PlaskittWarwick and LeamingtonLabno
Claire WardWatfordLabno
Bob BlizzardWaveneyLabno
Mike HallWeaver ValeLabno
Mr Paul StinchcombeWellingboroughLabno
Miss Melanie JohnsonWelwyn HatfieldLab (minister)no
John HealeyWentworthLab (minister)no
Tom WatsonWest Bromwich EastLabno
Adrian BaileyWest Bromwich WestLab (minister)no
Mr Tony BanksWest HamLab (minister)no
Mr Colin PickthallWest LancashireLabno
Mr Brian CotterWeston-Super-MareLDem (front bench)aye
Neil TurnerWiganLabno
Mr Roger CasaleWimbledonLabno
Mark OatenWinchesterLDem (front bench)aye
Ben ChapmanWirral SouthLabno
Stephen HesfordWirral WestLabno
Ken PurchaseWolverhampton North EastLabno
Mr Dennis TurnerWolverhampton South EastLab (minister)no
Rob MarrisWolverhampton South WestLab (minister)no
Michael FosterWorcesterLabno
Tony CunninghamWorkingtonLab (minister)no
Peter BottomleyWorthing WestCon (front bench)aye
Ian LucasWrexhamLab (minister)no
Richard TaylorWyre ForestIndependentaye
Paul GogginsWythenshawe and Sale EastLab (minister)no
David LawsYeovilLDem (front bench)aye

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