Asylum: UK-Rwanda Agreement

Baroness Kingsmill Excerpts

Monday 22nd January 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Kingsmill (Lab)]

My Lords, I am grateful for the indulgence of the House for allowing me a few minutes in the gap before the parties’ Front-Benchers speak. I was very lucky and grateful to be a member of the International Agreements Committee, and I was very pleased to be under the chairmanship of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Goldsmith.

I will make some brief points. It is important to understand that Rwanda is a country with a tragic past—but it is trying its best to overcome that. It has made significant progress in that respect: it is a member of the Commonwealth and is committed to free and fair elections and to the rule of law. However, it is a very poor country, and it lacks the capacity to fulfil the demands made on it by this treaty. It simply cannot do so in the immediate or mid-term future; it does not have the capacity or money. It has the willingness to do it, and with the support of this country and perhaps others, it may get it done sooner or later. But right now, it simply does not have that capacity.

We must think about that, because we too do not have the capacity to deal properly with our immigration. There are significant shortages of judges, which the courts feel all the time. The waiting lists for dealing with such cases are growing by the day. The appeals process has well over 2,000 people waiting to have their appeals heard. We lack the capacity, so for us to think that we can impose this kind of behaviour on a developing country such as Rwanda is asking a great deal.

I will not detain the House any longer; I am only allowed two minutes, so I will give way to another member of my committee.