EU Withdrawal Bill

Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about hostile environment policies and the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill.

I share concerns about the hostile environment, particularly given its impact on the Windrush
generation in our country. As a result of the hostile environment, thousands of black Britons were detained, deported, made homeless, jobless or denied healthcare by their own Government. This is nothing short of shameful.

The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has now launched an investigation into whether
the Home Office broke equality law when it introduced the hostile environment policies that resulted in the Windrush scandal. I believe this is a damning indictment of the Government and its failing of the Windrush generation. I will
be following this work closely and holding the Government to account on its
findings.

I did not support the Immigration Bill at its Second Reading on 18 May because I am worried about
the new powers it gives to the Government to implement a new immigration system with reduced Parliamentary oversight. We already know that the Government’s plans for this new system include a minimum income requirement of £25,600, for example. This values workers by what they earn and not what they contribute to our society and I believe it would be damaging to our NHS and our economy.

As the Immigration Bill progresses, I intend to support amendments that have fairness at their heart. For example, I do not wish to see EU nationals go through the same trauma and injustice that the Windrush generation has gone through. This is why I am supporting calls for EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status to be given physical documentation that proves their migration status.

Having left the EU, and with the transition period coming to an end, I will be pushing for an immigration system that is fair and in the national interest. It must be rational, based on evidence rather than numerical targets, and work for our society, economy and prosperity.

Thank you once again for contacting me and for sharing your views.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP