Windrush Debate

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Department: Home Office

Windrush

Maria Eagle Excerpts
Monday 23rd April 2018

(6 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Ah, a choice between two distinguished chess players who are related. I call Maria Eagle.

Maria Eagle Portrait Maria Eagle (Garston and Halewood) (Lab)
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It is clear that the Home Secretary has used the phrase, “compliant environment”, more frequently than she has used the phrase, “hostile environment”, but whether it is compliance or hostility, does she accept that that policy has led to this debacle? She mentioned people who came after 1973 but before 1988. Will it still be her policy that those people have to produce four original pieces of evidence for every year they have been here to get the status that is theirs by right?

Amber Rudd Portrait Amber Rudd
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No, it is not that policy. To be fair, I was in Croydon today talking to some of the caseworkers, and I challenged them on whether they would expect that before we put in these arrangements, and they said no, they would not. It has not been the case that people with this sort of evidence have been expected to produce that in the past. I hope that that message will go out loud and clear to the hon. Lady’s constituents and others: they do not need that sort of information and, yes, for the ’73 to ’88 cohort, they, too, will be able to access the new service, which will help to link in with other Government Departments to assist with swifter resolution.