Romanian and Bulgarian Accession Debate

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Department: Home Office

Romanian and Bulgarian Accession

Nigel Mills Excerpts
Wednesday 27th November 2013

(10 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Theresa May Portrait Mrs May
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First, I did not acknowledge that the majority of people would be recruited in that way. I accepted that there had been stories about recruitment agencies undertaking that sort of operation, and I indicated clearly that the relevant enforcement body was the EHRC. The Government are taking this issue up with the EHRC.

Nigel Mills Portrait Nigel Mills (Amber Valley) (Con)
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If the accession treaty had allowed the restrictions to continue beyond the end of this year, would it have been the Government’s policy to seek such an extension? If so, would the Home Secretary consider accepting the new clause that I have tabled to the Immigration Bill, which would achieve precisely that?

Theresa May Portrait Mrs May
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We believe that it is right to look at the way in which transitional controls operate because there should be more flexibility for member states in the exercise of those controls. At the moment, we have only the rather blunt instrument of an extension of a particular number of years. That is why it is important that free movement should form part of the renegotiation process. The Government should look at all options in seeking to deal with this issue.