Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 119(11)),

EU Co-Financing for Actions in the Field of Asylum and Immigration

That this House takes note of European Union Document No. 14123/12, a draft decision of the European Parliament and Council amending decision No. 573/2007/EC, decision No. 575/2007/EC and Council decision 2007/435/EC with a view to increasing the co-financing rate of the European Refugee Fund, the European Return Fund and the European Fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals as regards certain provisions relating to financial management for certain member states experiencing or threatened with serious financial difficulties with respect to their financial stability; notes that the draft decision would be subject to the UK’s opt-in; notes that the draft decision may increase the ability of certain member states, including Greece, to fully utilise solidarity funds, which have been severely impacted by the ongoing economic crisis; further notes that the Greek-Turkish border is the entry point for more than half of all illegal migrants to the EU, and many of these migrants travel onwards to the UK; agrees that the UK has an interest in seeing an improved response to migratory pressures in Greece, and that the effective use of solidarity funds can play an integral part in this improvement; and supports the Government’s view that this draft proposal would also provide benefit to Ireland with whom the UK has a shared border.—(Nicky Morgan.)

Question agreed to.