Meeting of the Parliament 12 June 2025
That is a fair point to make. There is a broader picture about how well we can navigate not only a global situation but the situation in the UK. Although I have some sympathy for the amendment that the Labour Party has lodged, I also have some worries about the white paper, just as I have about my party’s on-going discussions about migration. I am not convinced that we have the right balance between those people who want to come to this country and whom we want to be able to welcome, and those people who are here through illegal means. A big discussion needs to be had about that.
The immigration system has to reward contribution and social integration, and any deportation system of illegal immigrants that we come up with must work. As yet, we are not there.
I move amendment S6M-17906.1, to leave out from first “notes” to end and insert:
“believes that there is an important policy balance to be struck between welcoming those migrants who make significant contributions to the economic, social and cultural life of the UK, and reducing the numbers of illegal migrants who place added pressures on the welfare system and public services, and believes that the future of migration policy across the UK should reflect the specific needs of different sectors of the labour market.”
Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.