South West Migration Partnership
November & December 2012 Bulletin
Policy Announcements, Resources, Consultations and Research
Section 1: Migrant Workers
Section 2: AsylumSeekers & Refugees
Section 3: Unaccompanied Asylum SeekingChildren
Section 4: No Recourse to PublicFunds
Section 5: Consultations
Section 6: Statistics
Migrant Workers
Restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians to be lifted in January 2014
Home secretary Theresa May has confirmed that Bulgarians and Romanians will enjoy the same rights to live and work in the UK as other EU nationals from January 2014. Temporary curbs imposed on the nationals of Bulgaria and Romania in 2007 are set to expire on that date. Currently Bulgarians and Romanians may need to apply for permission with the UKBA before they can work in the UK.
EHRC publishes ‘Meat and poultry processing inquiry review’
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has published a follow up to the 2008 inquiry into recruitment and employment in the meat and poultry processing sector in England and Wales. The review assesses the progress made by the sector on the areas uncovered by the inquiry, including treatment of pregnant workers, fair and transparent recruitment and coercive and threatening behaviour.
New leaflet with advice for migrants on access to health services
The National AIDS Trust has published a leaflet providing advice to recent migrants who want to know how to access NHS healthcare, and what is available for HIV+ people.‘Will I have to pay’sets out the basic rules on entitlement to NHS care for newly arrived migrants and people with uncertain immigration status. It explains who is entitled to free treatment and who might have to pay for services which are considered to be non-urgent. Further info here:
Housing and Migration Network launches a destitution pack
The Housing and Migration Network has launched a destitution pack highlighting how housing associations and charities can work together to provide short-term housing, as well as the support needed, for destitute asylum seekers and other migrants in the UK.The destitution pack has been developed to help in particular, destitute asylum seekers who have no access to public funds but who have some prospect of regularising their status.
The destitution pack can be found here:
Good ideas from successful cities on immigrant integration
The Cities of Migration project has published a short report of case studies from cities in the UK on successful integration projects. The report can be found here:
Asylum Seekers & Refugees
Independent Chief Inspector publishes a report on UKBA handling of legacy asylum and migration cases
The Independent Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agencyhas published a new report criticising the handling of legacy asylum and migration cases.The Chief Inspector also raised concerns that his findings did not correlate with the information that was provided by the Agency to Parliament. The full report can be found here:
UKBA’s response to the report can be found here:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/news/response.pdf
New Website for Assisted Voluntary Return
Refugee Actions Choices Assisted Voluntary Return service has launched a new dedicated website. The site can be accessed in fourteen languages.
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children
UNHCR report: “Broken futures - young Afghan asylum seekers in the UK”
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees have published a new research report on the experiences of young Afghan asylum seekers in the UK and on return to their country of origin. The report can be found here:
The Migrant Children's Project advice line
The Migrant Children’s Project advice line offers FREE legal advice and information from a dedicated solicitoron all issues affecting migrant, asylum-seeking and refugee children and young people to frontline practitioners, advocates, parents and carers. If you have a query, please ring 020 7636 8505 (line open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10am - 6pm) or contact us at . For more information, see theirposter outlining how the MCP can help you.
Hague Convention now in Force: Improved protection of children
Children from the UK will now have international protection if they move to another country outside the European Union. The 1996 Hague Convention came in to force in November meaning that countries which have opted in to the treaty will uphold and enforce a court order involving the protection of a child.
The Government has welcomed the move to better protect children across borders and will honour the agreement by providing the same protection in the UK for children from other countries.
No Recourse to Public Funds
NRPF Training events
The NRPF Network has the following upcoming training dates:
- 20th February 2013, Human Rights Assessments (Children & Families)
- 27th February 2013, Human Rights Assessments (Young People Leaving Care)
- 1st March 2013, Human Rights Assessments (Adults)
For further details contact & 0207527 7121 or visit the NRPF website:
Consultations
Parliamentary inquiry into new family migration rules - Call for evidence
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Migration has launched an inquiry into the impacts of the new family migration rules. The inquiry will explore the impacts of new rules on family migration. It will specifically focus on changes which make it more difficult to sponsor spouses and partners, or elderly dependents, to come to the UK from outside the European Economic Area.
The inquiry will collect written evidence until 31st January 2013. Submissions are welcomed from charities, analysts, lawyers, employers, trades unions and other sources of relevant evidence. Individuals who have direct experience of the new family migration rules, as well as support organisations and advisers, are particularly invited to share their views.
Further info on how to submit here:
New Ministry of Justice Consultation: Fee remissions in the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber)
This consultation is aimed at anyone who has an interest in immigration, asylum and nationality matters or who would be affected by the removal of legal aid for most non-detention immigration appeals when the relevant provisions of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 comes into force in April 2013. The consultation is open until the 29th January, further details here: https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/fee-remissions-immigration-asylum
Statistics
Significant fall in net migration
Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that net migration has fallen by 59,000. The provisional figures for the year ending March 2012 show that net migration has fallen to 183,000 from 242,000 the previous year.
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/migration1/migration-statistics-quarterly-report/november-2012/index.html
Census data on migration in England and Wales
The ONS has released today a new batch of census data for England and Wales, including information on several variables related to migration.The ONS has released a specific publication on migrants in England and Wales, a video on the same topic and interactive maps showing the distribution of migrants.
The Migration Observatory has done some excellent (and accessible) analysis on the census data, which can be found here:
Emigration from the UK
The Home Office has released a new research report on key aspects of long-term emigration from the United Kingdom. This includes recent outward migration and some trends over the last twenty years, separately for British, European Union (EU) and non-EU citizens.The evidence suggests emigration is mainly for work, and that key destinations for British citizens are Australia, Spain, the United States, and France.
The report can be found here:
Any questions or comments about this bulletin- please get in touch.
Don Wallace
Policy Officer
Tel: 01823 425268
South West Migration Partnership