Siân Berry

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Fifteenth sitting)Hansard ↗

I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Sixteenth sitting)Hansard ↗

I beg to move amendment 69, in clause 50, page 52, line 1, at end insert— “(1A) Where any provision of this Act includes a power to make regulations and such provision or regulations would affect— (a) the identification of victims of slavery and human trafficking in Scotland, (b) the provision of support to victims of slavery and human trafficking in Scotland, or (c) any duties on Scottish public authorities relating to tackling slavery and human trafficking in Scotland, the Secretary of State m

Budget ResolutionsHansard ↗

I cannot begin without congratulating the hon. Member for Holborn and St Pancras (Sagal Abdi-Wali) on her speech. I know her constituency well, and she is a distinguished former colleague of mine on Camden council. I am here today to speak about council housing. The Government’s priorities are still not right on this issue, despite the Chancellor explicitly naming in his Budget speech the loss of more than 2 million council homes since the 1980s and the Prime Minister’s focus on rough sleeping.

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Fourteenth sitting)Hansard ↗

My new clause 22 asks for a report on decision making in relation to asylum applications. My amendment 62 is intended to prevent the Bill from being brought into force until the report set out in new clause 22 is published. The new clause would require the Home Office to publish a report on decision making in the asylum system. Making asylum decisions as efficiently as possible, so that they are right the first time, should be the main function of the asylum system. It is noteworthy that there i

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Thirteenth sitting)Hansard ↗

It is a pleasure to have you overseeing proceedings this morning, Mr Stuart. I will abstain on new clause 8, but I absolutely appreciate the sentiments behind it. I will not back it in full because the Green party has been thinking about this issue for some time, and we have our own alternative proposal. I will speak a little about the ways in which breaking up the Home Office—along the lines set out in new clause 8—would be a good idea. I refer in particular to the “No Way Home?” report, which

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Twelfth sitting)Hansard ↗

I wish to speak briefly against clause 38. Public order disqualification, in the way it has been applied so far, has exacerbated ongoing systemic issues arising from failures in identification and safeguards within the criminal justice system. Available evidence shows that this provision has disproportionately affected individuals subjected to criminal exploitation. As we heard when discussing previous clauses, many survivors of criminal exploitation were forced to commit offences as part of the

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Eleventh sitting)Hansard ↗

I rise to oppose clause 36. I believe that the roots of the plan lie in the previous Prime Minister’s Administration, and the fact that the clause will affect and harm so many victims and survivors of modern slavery in the face of so few actual cases reflects and results from the awfulness of the rhetoric around migration in recent years, on which the Government have joined in. The British Medical Association made that point in its written evidence to the Committee. It said: “We are also concern

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Ninth sitting)Hansard ↗

I beg to move amendment 81, in clause 23, page 21, line 33, at end insert— “(3A) Subject to subsection (3B), where the Secretary of State did not make a decision on a person’s protection claim within 180 days of the making of the protection claim, any sums to be paid by the person under subsection (3) must be reduced by 20% for every period of 30 days that elapsed before a decision on the person’s protection claim was made. (3B) Subsection 3A does not apply where a decision on the protection cla

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Tenth sitting)Hansard ↗

It is very good to have you in the Chair this afternoon, Mr Twigg. From the discussions we have had today, I think it is clear what a mess the proposals in clauses 23 and 24 are. If it is not an itemised recovery of costs, it is a refugee tax—worse, it has become clear that is only a poor refugee tax. As such, the philosophical basis for the proposals is broken. The Government have set a terribly high bar for being excused, and they are not seeking any payment from successful refugees who have t

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Eighth sitting)Hansard ↗

I beg to move amendment 75, in clause 21, page 19, line 19, at end insert— “(2A) In making regulations under subsection (1), the Secretary of State must have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare and best interests of any children in respect of whom a protection claim is made or who are granted protection status.” This amendment would require regulations under Clause 21 to take into account the best interests of children.

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Seventh sitting)Hansard ↗

I beg to move amendment 61, in clause 19, page 17, line 1, at end insert— “(3AB) It is in the public interest, and in particular in the interests of the elimination of violence against women and girls, that due regard be given to circumstances arising from a person who seeks to enter or remain in the United Kingdom being a victim of violence against women and girls, including domestic abuse (within the meaning of Part 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021).” This amendment inserts a new public intere

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Fifth sitting)Hansard ↗

I am afraid I still cannot find the updated impact assessment, either on the website, by email or on the table in this Committee Room. I would very much like to see the new information that the Minister referred to yesterday.

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Sixth sitting)Hansard ↗

It is a pleasure to have you in the Chair today, Mr Twigg. I take completely the opposite position from the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire in almost every respect. I am going to speak against clause 18 and its inclusion in the Bill, and I am going to oppose the Government amendments that would put further tests on parent-child relationships and parental involvement for refugees. I will also be opposing the Conservative amendments, which would put even tighter constraints on family life. I am h

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Third sitting)Hansard ↗

I beg to move amendment 64, in clause 1, page 2, leave out lines 1 to 5 and insert— “(5) In the exercise of its functions, the IIAA must— (a) be accessible, fair and independent, (b) handle its cases quickly and efficiently.” This amendment would remove the requirement for the IIAA to “aim to” operate fairly and independently and handle cases quickly and efficiently, so that the IIAA instead has a duty to so act. It would also remove the requirement for the IIAA to have regard to the public inte

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Fourth sitting)Hansard ↗

It is great to have you in the Chair, Mr Stuart. I was just summing up on my amendments 66 and 67. When we adjourned, I had only one further point to make, which is a practical one. I well remember the arguments and discussions we had on the Courts and Tribunals Bill: yes, taking things off judges and putting them on to magistrates seems efficient, and we would save on judge time, but a serious concern is whether magistrates could fill the gap, given the number of magistrates that we would need.

Immigration and Asylum Bill (Second sitting)Hansard ↗

Q I have some questions about family reunion. In your submission, you said that the measure will have a negative impact on integration. You also expressed concern that what you consider to be a right to family reunion is being made conditional, in clause 19, on socioeconomic factors—the ability of someone to support themselves. Can you tell us more about why you think family reunion should remain a right? Angela Afzal: The core protection framework sets out that refugees would not be granted fam

Immigration and Asylum Bill (First sitting)Hansard ↗

Q I have some further questions to Vicky. In your observations, you do say that efficiency should not be pursued at the expense of “procedural fairness” but also of “access to protection and successful integration.” You also warn that the Bill could “undermine conditions that support successful integration for those ultimately recognised as refugees.” Could you outline how you think the Bill, in practice, will harm integration? Vicky Tennant: I would say the key area is the recovery of asylum su

Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) BillHansard ↗

I am here because we do need to change the law, so that dying people have the choice of a better death than too many horrible progressive terminal diseases allow for now. I am here because of my own conscience; I am a humanist and a patron of Humanists UK. I am also here with the support of so many of our citizens who desperately want to see a change in the law. Many of my constituents have written to me to tell me their personal story of losing people under the worst circumstances because the s

Safety of the Jewish CommunityHansard ↗

Will the hon. Member give way on that point?

Dover and Portsmouth: ProtestsHansard ↗

I thank hon. Members who share my disgust at the sight of intimidating, fascistic gangs and squads of men in black on our streets in Dover and Portsmouth, but the roots of organised violence are political and this needs a political response. So does the Minister agree with me that it is time to start naming hard-right and fascist politics when we see it, recognise how frightening this is for people in our communities, and stand up to the racists on our streets and here in the Chamber, rather tha

Direction of GovernmentHansard ↗

The extremes of this summer cannot simply be wished away with emollient phrases like it not being all “one or the other” when it comes to new fossil fuel drilling. Can the Prime Minister tell us whether he meant that all our climate commitments are at risk from his Government, or just this one?

Criminal Justice ReformHansard ↗

The Secretary of State has spoken about sentenced prisoners, but he has not yet spoken about the 15,000 prisoners who are being held on remand, which includes one in four of all women in prison, particularly young women; those held for non-violent crimes, including protesters; and a higher proportion of people from minority groups. When will we see real action on remand decisions, and especially on the relevant recommendations from the Women’s Justice Board earlier this year?

Freedom of Information Act 2000 (Amendment)Hansard ↗

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to omit section 37 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; to provide that the Sovereign, the Royal Family, the Royal Household, the Royal Archives and the Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster are public authorities for the purposes of that Act; and for connected purposes. I am grateful to have the chance to introduce this Bill alongside colleagues from parties across the House. I am very grateful for the breadth of support across many parties f

Immigration and Asylum BillHansard ↗

I support the reasoned amendment tabled in the name of the hon. Member for Perth and Kinross-shire (Pete Wishart), which has not been selected, alongside me, my Green party colleagues and a cross-party grouping. I associate myself with the comments made already by Members on the Opposition Benches; we must reject division, not feed it. I believe that our reasoned amendment represents the views of the majority of the UK public, who reject the far right, delight in the strong reputation that this

Commonhold and Leasehold Reform: Managing AgentsHansard ↗

I thank the Chair of the Select Committee, the hon. Member for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green (Florence Eshalomi), whose motion, report and recommendations for the Bill I support and welcome. Thorough and fair leasehold reform is long overdue. My inbox as MP for Brighton Pavilion is littered with horror stories from constituents about their experiences as leaseholders who are forced to fork out extortionate service charges with no value for money, poor maintenance and no transparency on how that

National Security (State Threats) BillHansard ↗

On oversight, will the Secretary of State confirm that proposed new section 33G of the National Security Act 2023, which would be added by clause 3, is not intended to limit access to justice, or prevent challenges through the courts to future decisions made under human rights principles? That seems to me to be a measure that her Government would not want to bequeath to future Governments, who might misuse the legislation.

Brain CancerHansard ↗

Does the hon. Member agree that the Government should clarify more details of the funding announced, the funding allocated and the funding actually paid out under the existing funding plan since 2018, and should work harder to speed up the distribution of funding, not just the amount of funding that is in the pot?

Topical QuestionsHansard ↗

Many councils, especially Brighton and Hove, with hundreds of acquisitions since 2017, are doing their best to buy, as well as build, their supply of new council housing. More family homes can be provided, and the speed of the benefits gives it a different Treasury business case. Will the Secretary of State help me win the Chancellor’s support for the idea of a massive, new dedicated “buy the supply” fund for councils?

Road Investment Strategy 3: Reducing DangerHansard ↗

9. What steps she is taking to reduce road danger through the third road investment strategy.

Legacy of Jo CoxHansard ↗

It is a privilege to follow the wise words of the hon. Members for Spen Valley (Kim Leadbeater) and for Birmingham Yardley (Jess Phillips), who have done a great job of embodying the various aspects of Jo that we are in the Chamber today to talk about. I join all the other Members who have spoken in paying tribute to Jo’s sister. She is a great parliamentarian—she is admired across the House for the way she works so diligently and courageously on so many issues, many of which I have in common wi

Progression of Bills through ParliamentHansard ↗

Many thanks, Sir Edward, for your firm chairing today, which I now look forward to. I sincerely thank the petitioners, and particularly Sophie Blake for all the work she does and for a very well put petition. I also thank Nathaniel Dye, and I had the genuine honour of meeting him and seeing his work before his death. I want to add a cross-party voice to the debate. The Greens were not whipped on the issue of assisted dying—we do not whip our Members in any debates—but all four Green MPs voted fo

Pride MonthHansard ↗

Brighton is well known as the LGBT+ capital of the UK. It is a city with a famous reputation as a place where people can be who they are, love who they want to and feel safe. This is a great source of pride for me as a representative and for my constituents who make it such a fantastic place to live or visit. In previous debates, I have spoken with joy about our amazing community, our huge Pride and trans Pride celebrations, and the LGBTQ+ history of our diverse city by the sea, but with deep re

General Strike Centenary CommemorationsHansard ↗

Huge thanks go to the hon. Member for Birmingham Northfield (Laurence Turner) for leading this important debate with such an important speech. It is great to speak today. It is right that we honour our local struggles when we talk about the general strike and ensure that we cement them in our own local history. Last month, in my constituency, I had the great honour of unveiling my very first blue plaque. It was to mark the battle of Lewes Road, which took place on 11 May 1926. The plaque has gon

Courts and Tribunals Bill (Eleventh sitting)Hansard ↗

Huge apologies for my lateness, Sir John. I wish to speak in support of new clause 2 and lend my support to new clauses 6, 23 and 25, all of which seek to honour the commitment that the Government made in their manifesto at the last election. I have huge admiration for the hon. Member for Warrington North, both for her courageous and clear speech on Second Reading and for tabling new clause 2, which seeks to honour that commitment. I am heartened by how many Labour Members have added their names

Courts and Tribunals Bill (Ninth sitting)Hansard ↗

I am happy to have you back in the Chair today, Dr Huq. I wish to oppose the clause and the schedule. I am grateful to the hon. Member for Bolton South and Walkden for pointing out so clearly that the restrictions on appeals will push down hardest on the least advantaged people and will compound injustices in wider society, as well as the injustices put in place by other clauses. I will not reiterate in detail the evidence we heard, or the speeches I made previously, about the risks of more erro

Courts and Tribunals Bill (Tenth sitting)Hansard ↗

It is great to see you back in the Chair to help us to make our way through the Bill, Ms Jardine. New clause 28 is a probing amendment, and I shall not press it to a Division when the time comes. To give the context for why I have tabled the new clause, I will lay out the experience faced by a young child—I cannot give many details of the case, as the Committee will appreciate. This young child was below school age when they became the victim of and witness to abuse. They gave clear evidence on

Courts and Tribunals Bill (Eighth sitting)Hansard ↗

The Minister has already said “particularly complex or lengthy”, and just then she said “complex and lengthy”. Having rejected an amendment that would have set a limit of five months, will she think again about defining both complex and lengthy more rigorously in the Bill? The explanatory notes say “complex and lengthy”, but we do not have a definition of complex or a length limit. I think we need to hear more about that from her.

Courts and Tribunals Bill (Fifth sitting)Hansard ↗

It is great to have you in the Chair, Dr Huq. I am looking forward to today’s debates. I have not tabled any amendments to clause 3, but I want to talk about some necessary changes to the clause that fit in with this group of amendments. I hope the Committee will have patience with me. I want to raise again the principle of jury equity, which the Government are effectively abolishing by abolishing the right to elect a jury trial completely. I previously asked whether the Minister had considered