Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill: Second Reading

On 10 February 2025 the House of Commons debated the 2nd Reading of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.

The Border Security and Asylum Minister, Dame Angela Eagle DBE highlighted in November that, during the first half of 2024, small boat crossings reached their highest point on record, with over 200,000 cases stuck in the asylum system and £700 million spent on the Rwanda scheme. Furthermore, she noted that this issue is an international problem which requires co-operation and partnership with other countries, in Europe and beyond. The Minister confirmed that a new anti-smuggling action plan has been agreed with G7 partners, but also highlighted the importance of this Government’s aim to continue to press for a stronger and more integrated global response to organised immigration crime.

The Government is already taking steps to strengthen our borders, such as establishing the Border Security Command, recruiting additional Home Office staff, and assigning additional funding to bolster border security. This has already resulted in 9,400 recorded returns from the UK since July.

As set out in the King’s Speech, the Government has brought forward the Bill to give stronger powers to the border security system, so that organised crime can be properly investigated and prosecuted.

After a reasoned amendment against the Bill failed to pass with 115 ayes and 354 noes, the question was put that the Bill be read a second time with the following result: Ayes 331, Noes 108.

The Bill will now go through line by line scrutiny in a Public Bill Committee.