Illegal Migrant Returns Agreements
Debate between Lord Hanson of Flint and Lord Goodman of Wycombe(3 weeks, 3 days ago)
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Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Con)
On behalf of the noble Lord, Lord Sharpe of Epsom, and with his permission, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in his name on the Order Paper.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Hanson of Flint) (Lab)
The UK utilises a range of returns agreements and operational returns arrangements to facilitate the readmission to home countries of those with no right to remain here. We continue to engage with foreign Governments to maintain, develop and improve operational return processes and co-operation.
Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Con)
I am grateful to the Minister for that Answer. The Government recently signed a returns agreement with Iraq. Can he explain how this will work, given that the central Government of Iraq control part of the country and the Kurdish authorities another? In addition, can he give his assessment of the likely impact on this agreement of the current acceleration of hostilities in Syria?
Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)
I am grateful to the noble Lord for his question. As he knows, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary visited Iraq last week and has engaged with the Government of Iraq to look at co-operation on a number of fronts, to try to stop small boats, to facilitate returns and to look at other issues to do with criminality, terrorism and co-operation between the two authorities on law enforcement matters. Further details of the engagement and discussion will be announced in due course. I hope the noble Lord recognises that that is another step to go with the 9,400 returns we have made and the 1,520 foreign national offenders we have deported, both since 5 July.
Counter-Extremism Strategy
Debate between Lord Hanson of Flint and Lord Goodman of Wycombe(1 month, 1 week ago)
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Lord Goodman of Wycombe
To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made with their review of the counter-extremism strategy announced in August.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Hanson of Flint) (Lab)
The counter-extremism review has now concluded. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary is considering the recommendations made and will provide a further update to the House in due course. Countering extremism in all its forms, and protecting the public, remain key priorities for the Government.
Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Con)
I am grateful to the Minister for that Answer. Robin Simcox, the Government’s Commissioner for Countering Extremism, draws a distinction between Islam, one of the three great Abrahamic faiths, and Islamist extremism, which he describes as
“the key threat I am confronted with”,
and therefore a threat to all of us. Do the Government agree with their Commissioner for Countering Extremism?
Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)
I am grateful to the noble Lord for his Question and for the way he put it. The Commissioner for Countering Extremism makes recommendations to the Government, and we will consider all those recommendations in due course. There is a range of threats from the extreme right, from Islamist terrorism and from other forms of terrorism, and there is a real danger that people are radicalised in ways that are new to the next generation. We keep all things under review. The Government are cognisant of the fact that there are many threats, and the one that the noble Lord mentioned is very high on the list.