Thank you for contacting me about the Safety of Rwanda Bill.
I understand that you have a number of concerns about the provisions contained in the Bill. The UK has a proud history of supporting those in need of protection and since 2015 we have welcomed 480,000 people through safe and legal routes from all over the world, as well as via country-specific routes from Syria, Hong Kong, Afghanistan and Ukraine. However, while our compassion may be infinite, our capacity to help is not.
In 2023, the Home Office spent £8m a day on housing asylum seekers in hotels because local authorities do not have the capacity to support their large numbers. This is not sustainable, and it has an impact on our ability to help those genuinely in danger who might come via our safe and legal routes. Further, it is putting significant strain on public services.
The Government is taking decisive action to stop illegal small-boat arrivals. The number crossing the English Channel illegally via small boats reached 45,000 in 2022. Through a variety of measures, this figure was reduced by a third in 2023 to 29,500. Nevertheless, the Government continues to emphasise the need to control our borders and to stop vulnerable people making this perilous journey. The Bill and the treaty with the Rwandan Government will ensure that people know that if they come to the UK illegally, they will not be able to stay.
The Bill makes clear in UK law that Rwanda is a safe country, thereby answering all of the concerns of the Supreme Court and will ensure migrants cannot use spurious claims or appeals to frustrate their removal, and once removed, they will have no right to re-entry, settlement or citizenship.
Rwanda currently hosts more than 135,000 people seeking safety and protection and has a track record of providing that protection. The UN Refugee Agency has its own scheme for refugees in Rwanda, which is not delivered through a legally binding treaty.
The impact on victims of slavery
My ministerial colleagues are clear that modern slavery is a barbaric crime and they are committed to ensuring that the necessary support is available to victims of modern slavery to help them rebuild their lives.
It is also the case that the UK's world-leading modern slavery laws are often abused. I understand that in 2021, 73 per cent of people detained for removal put forward a modern slavery claim, compared to just 3 per cent for those not in detention. The Government is therefore right to prevent anyone entering the UK illegally from accessing the modern slavery support or abusing these laws to block their removal.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Craig Whittaker MP
April 2024