Domestic Abuse Bill — After Clause 72 — Victims of Domestic Abuse: Data-Sharing for Immigration Purposes — 26 Apr 2021 at 22:19

The majority of MPs voted not to explicitly forbid personal data of victims and witnesses of domestic abuse collected in relation to seeking support, or justice, being used for immigration control purposes.

MPs were considering the Domestic Abuse Bill.^[1][2]

The motion supported by a majority of MPs in this vote was:

• That this House disagrees with Lords amendments 40B and 40C.

Lords amendment 40B^[3] began:

• After Clause 72, insert the following new Clause—
• “Victims of domestic abuse: data-sharing for immigration purposes
• (1) The Secretary of State must make arrangements to ensure that personal data of a victim of domestic abuse in the United Kingdom that is processed for the purpose of that person requesting or receiving support or assistance related to domestic abuse is not used for any immigration control purpose.
• ..."

Lords amendment 40C^[3] stated:

• In Clause 79, after subsection (7) insert—
• “(7A) Regulations under this section bringing section (Victims of domestic abuse: data-sharing for immigration purposes) into force may not be made until both Houses of Parliament have approved a resolution to the effect that it should be brought into force, moved either after debate in that House of any publication of the outcome of a review by the Secretary of State of existing data-sharing procedures in relation to victims of domestic abuse for purposes of immigration control, or after 1 July 2021, whichever is the sooner.

This vote followed a previous vote just eleven days earlier on a similar proposal.

--

• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Domestic Abuse Bill, Parliament.uk
• [2] Explanatory notes to the Domestic Abuse Bill as introduced in the House of Commons on 3 March 2020, Parliament.uk
• [3] Lords amendments to the Domestic Abuse Bill, 26 April 2021, Parliament.uk

Debate in Parliament |