Western Jet Foil and Manston Asylum Processing Centres Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Howard of Lympne
Main Page: Lord Howard of Lympne (Conservative - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Howard of Lympne's debates with the Home Office
(1 year, 9 months ago)
Lords ChamberMy Lords, I too welcome my noble friend to his responsibilities. Does he recognise the inconvenient truth that it is almost impossible—perhaps entirely so—to deal with this issue without agreement with France going far beyond the level of co-operation to which he referred? Will he draw the attention of his ministerial colleagues to the agreement reached with France in 1995, under which it agreed to take back those who illegally entered the United Kingdom from France—they enter illegally, even if they subsequently claim asylum—and which it honoured?
I thank the noble Lord for reminding me and my department of that very valuable agreement. Certainly, the best solution to this problem would be an agreement with France under which it accepted the return of everyone who crosses the channel. There could be no stronger deterrent to crossing it. I will of course encourage officials to look at the agreement made in 1995 and see what steps can be taken to revive it.