Asylum

(asked on 28th August 2020) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to provide safe and legal routes of entry to the UK for asylum seekers in order to prevent the risk of exploitation and the dangers of crossing the Channel by boat.


Answered by
Chris Philp Portrait
Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
This question was answered on 10th September 2020

The UK is one of the world’s leading refugee resettlement states. We resettle more refugees than any other country in Europe and are in the top five countries worldwide. Since 2015, we have resettled more than 25,000 refugees. We can be proud as a country of our ambitious commitments and achievements.

The UK has a long and proud tradition of providing safe haven to those who genuinely need our protection, and we remain committed to providing protection to those who need it, in accordance with our international obligations.

Those who fear persecution should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and not put their lives at risk by making unnecessary and dangerous journeys to the UK. Illegal migration from safe countries undermines our efforts to help those most in need - controlled resettlement via safe and legal routes is the best way to protect such people and disrupt the organised crime groups that exploit migrants and refugees.

While resettlement arrivals are currently suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will resume them as soon as conditions allow, and intend to meet our full commitment to those fleeing the Syrian conflict.

Reticulating Splines