Select committee: Justice and Home Affairs Committee
Conclusion 13
1st Report - All families matter: An inquiry into family migration
Published 28 Feb 2023
Paragraph 75
Justice and Home Affairs Committee Family Migration All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The ADR route should be reformed to allow families to reunite in the UK . The threshold for dependency should be reduced and the range of eligible relatives extended within tight definitions to secure ongoing public confidence and support. Instead of focussing on the availability of care in other countries, the ADR route should concentrate on the ability of the sponsor to care for their dependent relative. Where the dependent relative cannot be cared for by their family abroad, applications should normally be granted.
From: Justice and Home Affairs Committee, 1st Report - All families matter: An inquiry into family migration, paragraph 75, 28 February 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 9 June 2023 (deadline 28 April 2023).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response sets out that it does not think full harmonisation of family entry and stay conditions is "the right approach", and it largely defends existing rules on adult dependent relatives, the minimum income requirement, child sponsorship and visitor appeals.
- On bespoke routes, it says that "where possible" it uses existing pathways, but that some events are "so critical" that bespoke routes are needed, such as the Afghan and Ukraine schemes.
- On child refugees sponsoring relatives, it says doing so "would risk creating incentives" for more children to make hazardous journeys.
- On fees, it says they are kept under review but there are "no current plans" to reduce fees on the route to settlement or for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
- On the Immigration Rules, it states it has "accepted all of the Law Commission's recommendations in whole or in part" and aims "to consolidate the simplified Rules in early 2024".