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Search for press releasesHome Office Minister Visits Scotland
26 October 2006
Engagement between the Home Office and the Scottish Executive continued today with Liam Byrne and Jack McConnell meeting in Edinburgh to discuss the best balance between enforcing immigration court decisions and children and families’ welfare, which the Scottish Executive has consistently championed inline with its policy responsibilities.
There is a crucial balance to strike between the effective and robust enforcement of immigration law and the application of these laws to failed asylum seeking families, with children under 18 years old, who remain in the UK unlawfully.
The United Kingdom honours in full its commitment under the 1951 United Nations Convention on Refugees. Liam Byrne flagged four areas where close Scottish Executive and Home Office collaboration is vital.
Faster, fairer decisions:
- The Home Office recognises that decisions on asylum applications have, in the past, taken too long. We are announcing today that two new specialist teams are being created within the Immigration & Nationality Directorate in Scotland with the aim of dealing with asylum applications from start to finish within 6 months. The teams will help ensure that more decisions are made in their entirety in Scotland.
The Review of Family policy?:
- Inspired by experience in Scotland, there has been a comprehensive review of the best practice on family removals which will be published soon and will be applied across the UK.
- The engagement of the Scottish Executive has been instrumental in bringing about these positive changes to the way the Immigration & Nationality Directorate carries out its work in this difficult area.
- Arrangements will soon be in place for a lead professional in Scotland to take an active part in focussing on the interests of children who are being removed from the country with their families and further enhanced checking for Home Office staff who deal directly with children is being put in place.
- In addition, the independent inspection of immigration enforcement activity and independent oversight of complaints handling and investigation have been timetabled into UK legislation.
Effective working with devolved services:
- In the last resort, where no option but enforced removal remains, the Scottish Executive and the Home Office have worked closely to ensure the greatest care and consideration given the inevitably complex circumstances in such cases. The Home Office will work openly and collaboratively with Scottish health, education, welfare and police services on how we carry out our operational activity, including engagement with ‘lead professionals’ in cases involving children and recognising differences required by devolved services.
- paid return flights to facilitate leaving the UK.
- the International Organisation for Migration can make payments of up to £3,000 per individual in cash or kind to aid re-settlement in the country of origin.
Enforcement:
Home Office Minister Liam Byrne said of today’s meeting:
"I am here to fulfil a promise to Jack McConnell to hear Scotland’s view first-hand. Scotland has blazed a trail helping develop a compassionate but fair immigration policy. I am here to see what work remains to be done and what the rest of the UK can learn.
"Getting the balance right between enforcing the rules and the family’s welfare is difficult, and impossible without close collaboration between the Scottish Executive and Home Office.
"I look forward to our continued joint approach on this issue."
