Nationality and Borders Bill (Second sitting)

Debate between Bambos Charalambous and Stuart Anderson

Committee stage
Tuesday 21st September 2021 Public Bill Committees

[Stuart Anderson]

Thank you.

[Bambos Charalambous]

Q Mr Kirby, I want to ask about the issue you raised of people raising a defence and there being a delay. The national referral mechanism is meant to make decisions quite speedily, nut it is not doing that. Do you agree that if the NRM were to make decisions more quickly, that would stop this practice?

Assistant Chief Constable Dave Kirby: I think that would assist hugely. The delay can still be there, because people can choose when to bring the defence, and sometimes that is even at trial. But, yes, more speedy decisions from the civil competent authorities would be helpful, because investigators—we all know that resources are very stretched in every force area—could then focus on the areas they really need to.