Labour MPs have voiced significant concerns regarding the government's recent immigration policy adjustments, particularly their potential impact on individuals currently on a path to earned settlement in the UK.
Home Office minister Alex Norris confirmed that the government has consulted on potential transitional protections, stating a response would be provided "in the usual way".
Dame Meg Hillier, the Labour (Co-op) MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch and chair of the Treasury Committee, specifically questioned what discussions had taken place concerning those "approaching the end" of the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain.
She said: “I have got a number of constituents concerned that their visa, they will reach this point in April, and they’re concerned that they will have to start all over again under a new process.”
Responding, Mr Norris said: “It has always been the case that the immigration rules in force at the point of application, rather than the point of entry to the country, are the ones that are germane with regards to the conditions an individual has to meet.
“We did consult about what transition protections there could be. That consultation closed last month.”
Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell asked what assessment has been done of people “who came here under one system, but now the system is changing” and where those people are working.
He said: “In my constituency, there’s large numbers of people who have come here and now in their fourth year before they were about to then conclude, hopefully then to secure status, and they’re working in the care sector.
“And without them, to be frank, the care sector would collapse in my constituency.”
Mr Norris replied: “Yes, we do know where they are working, because the nature by which they came to this country was on work visas. So we’re very clear where they are.
“In terms of the assessment, that was the point of the consultation that took place that ended last month.
“We got more than 200,000 responses to it. I think that shows the strength of feeling. So we’re looking that in the usual way, and we’ll come back with our plans after that in the usual way.”
Meanwhile, shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticised the Government over plans to offer a small number of failed asylum seekers an “increased incentive payment” of £10,000 per person and up to £40,000 per family to leave Britain under a pilot scheme.
Mr Philp said: “The Government is now resorting to bribing illegal immigrants with £40,000 per family to leave. That is more than most working people here earn in a year.
“British workers should not have to pay record high taxes for this Government to give their money away to illegal immigrants. It is, frankly disgraceful.
“Instead, the Government should now agree to our plan to leave the ECHR (European Convention of Human Rights), which would enable them to rapidly deport all illegal immigrants.
“The crossings would then quickly stop, and there would be no need to bribe illegal immigrants to leave.”
Responding, Mr Norris said: “He says the £158,000 on average we spend on families in hotel accommodation, who have no right now to be here because they have finished their way through the asylum system, that spending that money is better value than spending £40,000 in order for them to return home.”
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