Thank you for contacting me about the Rwanda scheme.
I understand your concerns about the level of illegal migration
and the likelihood of the success of the Rwanda scheme. However, I can assure
you that the Government is committed to ensuring that it will be possible to
remove people who arrive here illegally to Rwanda or to another safe country.
As such I welcome that the Home Secretary has signed a new joint
treaty with his Rwandan counterpart to strengthen the UK and Rwanda's Migration
and Economic Partnership and directly addressing the concerns of the Supreme
Court. The agreement is part of the Government's plans to ensure that illegal
migrants can lawfully be relocated to Rwanda under its ambition to stop the
boats, ensuring people know that if they come to the UK illegally, they cannot
stay here. The landmark treaty is binding in international law and ensures that
people relocated to Rwanda under the partnership are not at risk of being
returned to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened – an act
known as refoulement.
I am aware that to further bolster assurances that relocated
individuals will not be returned, under the treaty, Rwanda’s asylum system will
be strengthened through a new appeal body. The appeal body will consist of a
Rwandan and other Commonwealth national co-president, as well as judges of a
mixture of nationalities with asylum and humanitarian protection expertise
(appointed by the co-presidents) to hear individual appeals. Further, this
treaty comes together with new legislation that has been introduced to
Parliament so that it can be scrutinised to confirm that, with this new treaty,
Rwanda is a safe country.
I am glad that people will know that if they come here illegally,
they will not be permitted to stay.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
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