Recommendation 8

HM Government Rejected

The UK has a proud record of providing protection for individuals who need it, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). It is worth noting that the remit of the ECHR has been expanded over time by the Strasbourg Court (as the Committee will be aware, the ECHR was never designed to deal with migrants, that was left to the Refugee Convention drafted at the same time). However, we could not possibly consider protection claims from the very large numbers of individuals overseas who might like to come to the UK, and that includes from our juxtaposed controls. Whilst we sympathise with individuals in many difficult situations around the world, those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety. Indeed, this suggestion implicitly recognises many of those on the move are not true asylum seekers but are economic migrants hoping to move to the UK, many by irregular means. Additionally, the responsibility for asylum seekers and refugees lies with the authorities of the country in which they are present in accordance with their international obligations – in this case France. EU countries, which include France, together operate the Common European Asylum System; a framework of rules and procedures based on the full and inclusive application of the Refugee Convention. The aim of this system is not just to ensure fair and humane treatment of applicants for international protection, but also to discourage secondary movements of individuals once they have reached safety, acknowledging the many problems that such movements create. There is therefore no reason why an individual who is in France and who needs protection should not make and have their claim processed in France by the French authorities, and certainly no reasons why they should make the perilous onward journey to the UK. France is a safe country, so the protection they seek is already available to them. France is a sovereign nation and may not support any scheme operated by the UK Government which encourages more migrants to cross into its territory. Furthermore, the UK Government creating asylum assessment facilities in France could also have the potential to create more harm, and actually support the smugglers, even if France retained responsibility for unsuccessful UK asylum claims. Dangerous journeys and the work of the despicable smugglers are not just confined to routes across the Channel. Vulnerable individuals, if they have an incentive to aim for France as a means of entering the UK, would be encouraged to make dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean and over land to France. It would create a new pull factor, motivating individuals to again entrust themselves to smugglers. Even where they may avoid the danger of a small boat, we know from heart breaking experience that journeys over land, for example in the back of lorries, can be equally as perilous. We cannot and must not do anything which supports the smugglers’ business model. The UK and France already have a strong partnership on the issue of illegal migration and are committed to continuing to work together to address our shared challenge of illegal migration jointly, and to make the small boats route unviable. A bilateral arrangement was reached between the UK and France on 20 July 2021, where the UK pledged to make a further financial investment of €62.7 million (approximately £54 million) in 2021/22 to tackle illegal migration and small boats. Some of this funding was used to invest in reception centres dedicated to providing support to migrants across France and removal centres for voluntary returns to countries of origin where appropriate, safe and legal. Supporting migrants into appropriate and safe accommodation in France and enabling them to access the asylum system there will also serve to take them out of the hands of criminal gangs. instability as opposed to enabling juxtaposed consideration of asylum claims from France. individuals to start new lives in the UK. The UK welcomes individuals at risk through the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Mandate Resettlement Scheme, Community Sponsorship and the Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme. Taken together with our Hong Kong British National Overseas schemes, these safe and legal routes have seen over 300,000 people offered sanctuary in the United Kingdom since 2015. This commitment, alongside a fair and firm asylum system, will ensure we continue to offer safe and legal routes to the UK for those in need of protection. Further information on our resettlement schemes is available on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/resettlement- policy-statement. Additionally, in response to the Ukraine crisis, this government has introduced two new schemes: the Ukraine Family Scheme (UFS), and for those without family links to the UK, the Homes for Ukraine (HFU) Scheme. Further informa