Flora Thompson
Britain’s Border Force officers could be given powers to turn migrants away from the UK while at sea under laws proposed as part of sweeping reforms of the asylum system. The Government’s Nationality and Borders Bill, which was introduced to Parliament on Tuesday, also contains provisions to set up offshore processing centres and allow asylum seekers to be sent away from the UK while their claims are determined.
The legislation — dubbed the “anti-refugee Bill” by campaigners critical of the plans — intends to make it a criminal offence to knowingly arrive in the UK without permission, with the maximum sentence for those entering the country unlawfully rising from six months’ imprisonment to four years.
It means that, for the first time, how someone enters the UK -legally or “illegally” — will have an impact on how their asylum claim progresses and on their status in the UK if that claim is successful.
Convicted people-smugglers could also face life behind bars, up from the current maximum tariff of 14 years, under the proposals.
According to the papers setting out the proposals of the Bill, Border Force would be given the power to intervene at sea to tackle people-smugglers and turn migrant boats away from the UK but they would need the agreement of other states, like France, to drive them back into foreign waters. The documents also suggest officers may be able to use “reasonable force, if necessary”.
The Bill includes clauses to allow the UK to be able to send asylum seekers to a “safe third country” and to submit claims at a “designated place” determined by the Secretary of State. Although little detail is provided on this, officials believe the Bill gives the potential to allow for offshore processing centres to be set up overseas, akin to policies used in Australia.
This could give rise to reports that the UK is considering sharing a processing centre with Denmark in Rwanda and may even revive speculation over suggestions that Ascension Island could be sought as another destination. — dpa
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