North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has called on the Welsh Government “to work alongside the UK Government to increase the availability of safe and regular routes to our shared UK”.
Speaking in yesterday’s debate on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Illegal Migration Bill, Mr Isherwood stressed that his Party “recognise concerns about the impact this Bill may have on unaccompanied children and victims of human trafficking, about the need for safe and legal routes into the UK and about the need to provide sanctuary for those fleeing war and persecution”, and that “we are also aware that these concerns are being raised by Members of all parties in both UK Houses of Parliament, where responsibility for amending this legislation lies”, but emphasised that:
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- over 45,700 people arrived in small boats in 2022, a 60% increase on the preceding year.
- That people have lost their lives attempting to cross the UK’s busiest shipping lane in flimsy boats.
- That those making these crossings are coming from safe countries.
- That the people who make these journeys are manipulated by people smugglers who charge them thousands of pounds, before using this money to fund other serious crime.
- and that we cannot continue adding unacceptable pressures on our health, housing, educational and welfare services.
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He said:
“Between 2015 and December 2022 the UK offered a place to 481,804 men, women and children seeking safety via safe and legal entry routes.
“We now need to see a commitment from the Welsh Government to working alongside the UK Government to increase the availability of safe and regular routes to our shared UK.
“As illegal migration is restricted, the UK Government will have greater capacity to provide a safe haven for those at risk of war and persecution – and the Bill provides for the UK Government to commit to resettling vulnerable refugees from around the world every year. We will be supporting this motion accordingly.”
Labour and Plaid Cymru voted against giving consent to the Bill.