UK asylum reforms would ‘fail to meet UK’s human rights obligations’

The government’s asylum reforms would “fail to meet the UK’s human rights obligations” and risk exacerbating an “already unacceptable” backlog of claims, a group of peers and MPs have said.

The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) has been reviewing proposed laws contained in the Nationality and Borders Bill currently going through Parliament.

Its latest report scrutinising the provisions in the bill says that segregating “different categories of refugee” based on how they arrived in the UK “would be inconsistent with the Refugee Convention and potentially a discriminatory breach of human rights”.

Instead of combating people smugglers, the legislation would “penalise asylum claimants” for not using safe and legal routes to the UK which “lack sufficient capacity to support them”.

This and other plans as part of the overhaul, such as introducing the possibility of offshore processing of asylum claims, “risk undermining the humanitarian and cooperative principles on which refugee protection is founded”, the committee said.

Changes to how the age of asylum seekers is determined may lead to more children being “wrongly identified as adults, with severe consequences which would amount to a denial of children’s rights” and there was “no justification” for plans to use scientific methods to determine age “given their inaccuracy”, the peers and MPs said.

Another element of the bill which would allow the home secretary to remove a person's citizenship without notice in the interests of national security “undermines the principle of fairness” and should be scrapped, the group concluded.

A child clutching a teddy steps ashore in Dover, Kent, southern England, accompanied by Border Force officers after being rescued from a small boat trying to cross the English Channel. PA

Migrants arrive at Dover on a Royal National Lifeboat Institution vessel, after being rescued while crossing the English Channel. Despite it being midwinter, migrant crossings resumed this week after a period of bad weather led to a pause. Reuters

Migrants clamber aboard a flimsy inflatable dinghy as they prepare to leave Wimereux, near Calais, north France, heading for England. Reuters

A group of people, thought to be migrants, at Dungeness lifeboat station, Kent. AP Photo

More than 26,000 people have made the dangerous journey from France to England in 2021, three times more than in 2020. In November, 27 people were drowned when a migrant boat sunk during the crossing. AP Photo

Migrants are brought in to Dungeness, Kent, by the RNLI. AP Photo

Inflatable boats, believed to have been used by migrants who crossed the English Channel from France, stored near Dover. Reuters

Migrants disembark from an RNLI lifeboat on arrival in Dover, after being picked up at sea. AFP

A group of migrants prepare to launch an overcrowded inflatable dinghy from the French coast, near Calais, heading for England. Reuters

“The UK has a proud history of championing the human rights of refugees. We should continue in this tradition and do all we can to be a place of welcome and support for people who have been persecuted,” said Joanna Cherry, the committee’s deputy chairwoman.

“Rather than coming up with new punitive measures and lambasting the difficulties in rejecting asylum applications, the government should focus on dealing with the lengthy backlog of cases.

“Fundamentally, this bill increases the likelihood that the UK turns its back on people it should be helping. This would be wrong and the government needs to rethink these proposals.”

“The Nationality and Borders Bill will stop the abuse of our system and give victims who have been exploited the support they need to rebuild their lives,” said a government representative.

“It is compliant with our legal and international obligations. It will continue to offer protection to the most vulnerable and step up measures to break the deadly trade of people smuggling.

“The power to deprive British citizenship on ‘conducive to the public good’ grounds is used sparingly, complies with the UN Conventions on Statelessness and always comes with a right to appeal. The bill does not change this.”

Previous men's records

2:01:39: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) on 16/9/19 in Berlin
2:02:57: Dennis Kimetto (KEN) on 28/09/2014 in Berlin
2:03:23: Wilson Kipsang (KEN) on 29/09/2013 in Berlin
2:03:38: Patrick Makau (KEN) on 25/09/2011 in Berlin
2:03:59: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 28/09/2008 in Berlin
2:04:26: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 30/09/2007 in Berlin
2:04:55: Paul Tergat (KEN) on 28/09/2003 in Berlin
2:05:38: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 14/04/2002 in London
2:05:42: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 24/10/1999 in Chicago
2:06:05: Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 20/09/1998 in Berlin

How the bonus system works

The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.

The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.

There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).

All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.

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Essentials

The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.

On Women's Day

Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action

Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?

Samar Elmnhrawy: How companies in the Middle East can catch up on gender equality

The National Editorial: Is there much to celebrate on International Women's Day 2021?

CREW

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RESULTS

6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1.600m
Winner: Miller’s House, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).

7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Kanood, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.

7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Gervais, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

8.15pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Important Mission, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Firnas, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.

9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Zhou Storm, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

COMPANY%20PROFILE

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SupplyVan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2029%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MRO%20and%20e-commerce%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Electric scooters: some rules to remember

Riders must be 14-years-old or over
Wear a protective helmet
Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
Do not drive outside designated lanes

The biog

Birthday: February 22, 1956

Born: Madahha near Chittagong, Bangladesh

Arrived in UAE: 1978

Exercise: At least one hour a day on the Corniche, from 5.30-6am and 7pm to 8pm.

Favourite place in Abu Dhabi? “Everywhere. Wherever you go, you can relax.”

If you go

The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.

The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.

When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season