Immigration and Asylum Bill (Second Reading)

On Monday 13 July 2026 the House of Commons passed the Immigration and Asylum Bill.

Spending on asylum support was £4.7 billion in a single year. Our country has always provided sanctuary to those fleeing war and persecution, but we must rebuild public confidence and restore fairness. The Home Secretary recently announced new capped, safe, and legal routes for genuine refugees to build a new life here, allowing communities, universities and businesses to sponsor them. This will promote integration within, and contribution to, this country.

The Bill focuses on reducing the numbers of people arriving unsafely and illegally. It will ensure asylum claims are fair and fast, and swiftly remove those with no right to be here. More than 150,000 people are waiting for an appeal decision, waiting over a year on average. Speeding up decisions while ensuring claims are heard fully and fairly is the best way to prevent gaming the system. The Bill establishes a new immigration appeals authority, staffed by independent adjudicators rather than judges, with a single, faster appeal route.

The Bill also establishes a core protection model, meaning each claim will be assessed once, with one outcome, and a right of appeal will be available only to those refused protection. This clearer, simpler process will make no difference to those lodging genuine claims, but will cut system inefficiency and enable faster and fairer decisions.

The Bill reforms the application of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the right to family and private life. The rights of individuals must be weighed against the public interest. The Bill strengthens the public interest test to allow us to remove foreign criminals more easily, and tightens the definition of family life.

Human trafficking is abhorrent, and the Bill strengthens protections for its victims, particularly children. The legislation addresses those who seek to abuse the modern slavery system, particularly foreign criminals, to delay their removal from the UK. Anyone who poses a threat to public order or national security will not receive modern slavery protection or support. The measures in this Bill are realistic and proportionate. They will deliver an asylum system where claims are heard fast and fairly, and where protections are upheld for those who need them, not those who seek to abuse them.

There were 2 votes on the Bill:
Immigration and Asylum Bill: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading: Ayes 97   Noes 358

Immigration and Asylum Bill: Second Reading: Ayes 264  Noes 90