All 1 Lord Geddes contributions to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024

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Mon 4th Mar 2024
Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill
Lords Chamber

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Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill Debate

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Department: Home Office

Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill

Lord Geddes Excerpts
Lord Hope of Craighead Portrait Lord Hope of Craighead (CB)
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My Lords, I am very grateful to all noble Lords who have taken part in the debate. I do not want to take up time by going over the issues all over again, but I want to pick up two points made by the noble Lord, Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts.

First, I think the noble Lord suggested that my amendments were treating Rwanda as a country that is untrustworthy; I absolutely refute that. When I introduced the amendments in Committee, I made it absolutely clear that I do not, for a moment, question the good faith of Rwanda, and I remain in that position. I absolutely understand that both parties to the treaty are treating each other on that basis. I am certainly not, in any way, questioning the good faith or commitment of Rwanda to give effect to the treaty; what I am talking about is implementation.

Secondly, I think the noble Lord said that my amendment would make the Bill unworkable. I simply do not understand that. I cannot understand why relying on the word of the monitoring committee in any way undermines the effectiveness or purpose of the Bill. For those reasons, I wish to test the opinion of the House.

Lord Geddes Portrait The Deputy Speaker (Lord Geddes) (Con)
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I must advise the House that, if Amendment 4 is agreed to, I cannot call Amendment 5, due to pre-emption.