Legislative Consent: Illegal Migration Bill

The Illegal Migration Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 7 March 2023.

The long title to the Bill notes that it is a Bill to “make provision for and in connection with the removal from the United Kingdom of persons who have entered or arrived in breach of immigration control; to make provision about detention for immigration purposes; to make provision about unaccompanied children; to make provision about victims of slavery or human trafficking; to make provision about leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom; to make provision about citizenship; to make provision about the inadmissibility of certain protection and certain human rights claims relating to immigration; to make provision about the maximum number of persons entering the United Kingdom annually using safe and legal routes; and for connected purposes.”

The Bill is subject to the legislative consent process under Standing Order 29. This is when the consent of the Welsh Parliament is sought by the UK Government to legislate on an issue which falls within the competence of the Senedd.

The Legislative Consent Motion for the Illegal Migration Bill was not agreed in Plenary on 20 June 2023.

Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum – May 2023

On 26 May 2023 the Welsh Government laid a Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (PDF 150KB).

The Business Committee agreed (PDF 37.7KB) that the Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Illegal Migration Bill will be considered and reported on, to the Senedd, by 19 June 2023.

The Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee laid its report (247KB) on 19 June 2023.

Legislative Consent Memorandum – March 2023

The Welsh Government laid a Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Bill before the Senedd on 31 March 2023.

The Business Committee referred the LCM to the Equality and Social Justice Committee, the Local Government and Housing Committee, and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, with a reporting deadline of 15 June 2023 (PDF 37.9KB).

On 9 May 2023 the Business Committee also referred the LCM to the Children, Young People and Education Committee. Committees’ reporting deadline was initially set at 15 June 2023.  After the Welsh Government laid the Supplementary LCM on 26 May 2023, the Business Committee revised Committee’s reporting deadline to 19 June 2023.

The Local Government and Housing Committee wrote to the Business Committee on the 18 May 2023 (PDF 73KB).

On the 22 May the Children, Young People and Education Committee and the Equality and Social Justice Committee consulted (PDF 191KB) with stakeholders. They also wrote (PDF 186KB) to the Welsh Government requesting some further information, a response (PDF 245KB) was received on 7 June.

8 responses were received from stakeholders, they are listed under the documents heading below.

Reporting

The Equality and Social Justice Committee published its report on the Legislative Consent: Illegal Migration Bill on 19 June 2023.

The Children, Young People and Education Committee published its report (PDF 219KB) on the Legislative Consent: Illegal Migration Bill on 19 June 2023.