Asylum Seekers: Rwanda Debate

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Department: Home Office

Asylum Seekers: Rwanda

Viscount Hailsham Excerpts
Thursday 21st March 2024

(7 months, 2 weeks ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Sharpe of Epsom Portrait Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)
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My Lords, yes. The fact is that people who have paid £5,000 to £10,000 to a murderous criminal gang to get to the UK—let us not forget that they have been sold a lie and will not be able to stay here—are unlikely to be attracted by an offer of £3,000. I do not believe that it will have any effect on the deterrence principle.

Viscount Hailsham Portrait Viscount Hailsham (Con)
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Will my noble friend the Minister help the House by telling us whether the numbers of migrants who are paid a fee to go to Rwanda will count towards the numbers that Rwanda has agreed to take as compulsory relocations under the Bill’s provisions?

Lord Sharpe of Epsom Portrait Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)
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As the scheme has only just begun, I do not know what the numbers are likely to look like in the end. However, as this is governed by a separate agreement, I imagine that the answer is no.