Saturday, May 09, 2009
Thursday evening
Dinner at Lahore 2 with Janmmu Kashmir Liberation Front leaders Zafar Sharif, Malik Latif, Mahmood Hussain, Mahmood Faiz, Sohail Sheikh, and Mohammad Sakhi, one of a series we have had over the years to discuss the situation in Kashmir and how to raise the profile here in the UK. There is a big Kashmiri community in several major towns and cities, and they would like to hear more discussion of Kashmir by mainstream politicians, though it is recognised that in New Delhi they are quick to react adversely to any statement they see as nteference by the former colonial power. Nevertheless it has to be remembered that Kashmiris weren't consulted when the ruler took them into the Indian union, and that after that the United Nations for a while tried to assert the people's right to self-determination. This isn't an issue in Kashmir in the current Indian elections, because candidates have to swear an oath of loyalty to the Indian constitution, which means that anyone who wants to see a change in the status of Kashmir is barred from standing. The JKLF and the Hurriyat Conference - an umbrella organisation for those who do want change - have called for a boycott of the polls, and at a rough guess the turnout in the state is likely to be under 15%.
Friday, May 08, 2009
My health
And speaking of health, its always nice to get a letter saying that there is no sign of a recurrence of a lung tumour (see earliest posts on this blog for the operation) and that the aortic aneurysm isn't getting any larger.
Alcohol harm
This letter from the DH Minister Dawn Primarolo MP says that the cost of alcohol harm to the NHS in England alone rose from £.3-£1.7 billion in 2001-02, the year to which the Cabinet Office's Interim Analytical Analysis of Alcohol Harm 2003 related, to £2.7 billion in 2007-08, and that now 2.9 billion bed-days are occupied in NHS hospitals by people who are there because of alcohol. One would think that the Treasury and the DH would be getting together to see how further increases in the taxation of alcohol could be used to discourage consumption, but apparently there are Chinese walls between the two Departments. At a time of severe financial stringency, here is an opportunity of raising extra revenue and reducing spending at the same time.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
With Alirio Uribe
This morning I chaired a meeting to launch the report of the international lawyers' human rights delegation to Colombia, in Committee Room 6 of the Commons. Alirio Uribe is President of the Lawyers' Collective in Colombia, and a former vice president of the FIDH. Other speakers were Sarah Chandler, a member of the Law Society International Human Rights Committee; Ole Hanson, a member of the Law Society's Access to Justice Committee, and Gillian Merron MP, the FCO Minister who deals with Colombia and is visiting the country in a couple of weeks' time.
Although the Colombian authorities are relatively open to scrutiny by international NGOs and the UN Special Procedures, nothing seems to change. There have been 1,500 extrajudicial killings during the lifetime of this government, for instance, and not one of the culprits has been brought to justice. Alirio said that since 1991, 400 lawyers had been murdered. It has been announced that a Special Unit has been established to investigate attacks on lawyers, and the Minister said she would pursue this on her visit.
Saudi Arabia
Yesterday afternoon I met a delegation from the Khaddam Almahdi Organisation (KMO), see below, comprising Sheikh Yasser Al Habib; Sheikh Ali Maash; Mr Mohammed Salah; Mr Hamid Rabie, and Sayyed Ali Al Nawab, for a discussion about the violence by the religious and local police against Shi’a pilgrims at the site of the Holy Prophet’s burial on February 26 and the days after that. The religious police, motivated by the Wahhabi ideology which forbids the veneration of holy sites, have destroyed the Prophet’s tomb and other sacred monuments , not only in Medina but in other parts of Saudi Arabia, and they have increasingly sought to deny the Shi’a, who constitute 15-20% of the population of Saudi Arabia, the right to worship at any of the holy places.
This year they attacked women pilgrims, and when the men tried to protect them, police used extreme violence including firearms, which led to the victims' serious injury and hospitalisation. Many people were arrested and barriers were erected to prevent pilgrims having access to the site.
The first request of the KMO is that the international community should ask Saudi Arabia to allow pilgrims freedom of access to pay their respects to the holy sites and to pray there.
Second, they ask that the ancient an historic buildings which have been demolished should be reconstructed.
Third, they ask that the United Nations should extend protection to the holy sites in Mecca and Medina, and for pilgrims visiting them. Its a pity that the opportunity of raising these matters at the UN's Universal Periodic Review of Saudi Arabia in February was missed, even in the Stakeholders’ Report (lib.ohchr.org/HRBodies/UPR/Documents/Session4/SA/A_HRC_WG6_4_SAU_3_E.PDF).
I have written to FCO Minister Lord Malloch-Brown, and will be writing separately to the UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedom, Ms. Asma Jehangir, asking her to take these issues up with the government of Saudi Arabia.
This year they attacked women pilgrims, and when the men tried to protect them, police used extreme violence including firearms, which led to the victims' serious injury and hospitalisation. Many people were arrested and barriers were erected to prevent pilgrims having access to the site.
The first request of the KMO is that the international community should ask Saudi Arabia to allow pilgrims freedom of access to pay their respects to the holy sites and to pray there.
Second, they ask that the ancient an historic buildings which have been demolished should be reconstructed.
Third, they ask that the United Nations should extend protection to the holy sites in Mecca and Medina, and for pilgrims visiting them. Its a pity that the opportunity of raising these matters at the UN's Universal Periodic Review of Saudi Arabia in February was missed, even in the Stakeholders’ Report (lib.ohchr.org/HRBodies/UPR/Documents/Session4/SA/A_HRC_WG6_4_SAU_3_E.PDF).
I have written to FCO Minister Lord Malloch-Brown, and will be writing separately to the UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedom, Ms. Asma Jehangir, asking her to take these issues up with the government of Saudi Arabia.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Tuesday
Over the weekend we had two games of ping-pong, 1-1 and 2-0 to me, so I've edged ahead again at 106-105. This morning JW started his course at the Alliance Francaise, which he said will get him going again. I'm trying to persuade him to read Anatole France's novels, of which I now have several in both English abd French.
In the House today I asked a supplementary to Caroline Cox's question on violence against the Christian minority in northern Nigeria. It was estimated that about 300 were killed and 50,000 displaced, mainly in Jos, but this wasn't a one off. The UN Rapporteur on Religious Freedom, Asma Jehangir, reports that over a few years, thousands have been killed and tens of thousands displaced in religious conflicts. There are two commissions of inquiry into the latest events, at state and federal level, but with no news about the timescale of their reports five months after it all happened. Nor is there any indication of what the Nigerian government is doing about the recommendation by the Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review, that Nigeria should monitor and protect the rights of religious minorities, and make promotion of the culture of religious tolerance the priority of the Federal, State and Local Governments.
In the House today I asked a supplementary to Caroline Cox's question on violence against the Christian minority in northern Nigeria. It was estimated that about 300 were killed and 50,000 displaced, mainly in Jos, but this wasn't a one off. The UN Rapporteur on Religious Freedom, Asma Jehangir, reports that over a few years, thousands have been killed and tens of thousands displaced in religious conflicts. There are two commissions of inquiry into the latest events, at state and federal level, but with no news about the timescale of their reports five months after it all happened. Nor is there any indication of what the Nigerian government is doing about the recommendation by the Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review, that Nigeria should monitor and protect the rights of religious minorities, and make promotion of the culture of religious tolerance the priority of the Federal, State and Local Governments.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Thursday evening
Thursday evening I spoke at a very successful and well-attended pizza and politics event organised by Lewisham West and Penge LibDems, chaired by Councillor Alex Feakes, the energetic and popular LibDem parliamentary spokesman for the constituency. The theme of the evening's discussion was the interaction between foreign policy issues and the impact of diasporas living in the UK and particularly in south London. There are sizeable minorities including West Africans, Tamils and Vietnamese in the constituency, and we need to think hard about how to communicate with them better than we have in the past.
Susan and Brian's 63rd wedding anniversary!
Sunday we were at the fantastic celebration of Susan and Brian Taylor's 63rd wedding anniversary, and Susan's 90th birthday. Their wonderful family were there including great-grandaughter Sophie. Susan and Brian have been tremendous pillars of the Liberal Party, and now the Liberal Democrats, and Brian was the first Liberal Councillor in Greater London at the beginning of the revival, in 1957, and he and Susan have produced a great dynasty of Liberal activists.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Borders Bill
The Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill has now left us and will be starting its progress through the Commons in a couple of weeks time. We have made quite a few changes in it, as follows:
References are to the Bill as introduced in the Commons (Bill 86, printed 23rd April)
1. Clause 1 – General customs functions of the Secretary of State
Clause 7 – Customs revenue functions of the Director
The Government tabled amendments at Report to meet concerns expressed at Committee about the lack of clarity in the functions exercisable by UKBA officers. The wording of the clause is still obscure.
2. Clause 22 – Application of the PACE orders
Clause 23 – Investigations and detentions: England and Wales and Northern Ireland
Clause 22, inserted by a Government amendment on Committee with LibDem agreement, enables transfer of HMRC officers to UKBA while keeping all existing powers. Consequential amendments inserted into clause 23.
3. Clause 25 – Short-term holding facilities
Schedule
Clause 25 inserted by Government amendment on Committee, provides UKBA and HMRC with flexibility on the use of short-term holding facilities for detainees. Amendment to the Schedule is consequential. LibDems agreed to these amendments.
4. Clause 30 – Complaints and misconducts
An amendment, moved by the Government at Committee, gives the IPCC the same oversight role in respect of contractors who carry out immigration and asylum enforcement functions on behalf of the UKBA exercises in England and Wales. LibDems agreed, but wanted the amendment to extend to the juxtaposed controls at the Channel ports as well.
5. Clause 36 – Power to make supplementary etc. provision
Clause 37 – Subordinate legislation
Government amendments left out provisions relating to Scotland, and the LibDems agreed.
6. Clause 39 – Exceptions to application of Part 1
This clause, inserted by a Conservative amendment with LibDem support at Report stage provides that a person who submits an application for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the 12 months after the commencement of Part 2 of the Bill, can have the claims decided under the current citizenship arrangements. The Government will try to remove this in the Commons.
7. Clause 40 – Application requirements: general
Clause 41 – Application requirements: family members etc.
Clause 49 – Meaning of references to being in breach of immigration laws
There were various government amendments moved at Committee to these clauses to ensure that a person with an acceptable form of immigration status has a qualifying common travel area entitlement. The LibDems agreed to this.
8. Clause 40 – Application requirements: general
Clause 41 – Application requirements: family members etc.
The Government tabled amendments at Report to provide a discretion to waive the requirement to have had a qualified immigration status for the whole of the qualifying period in relation to applications made under Section 6 of BNA 1981. In the case of refugees the discretion would be exercised where ‘undue delay’ has occurred in determining an asylum application or where the delay was not attributable to the applicant, though ‘undue delay was not defined. These represent a partial concession to Lord Hylton and to the LibDems. Whilst we welcomed the amendments they didn’t go quite far enough for us.
9. Clause 44 – Minors
Clause 48 – Good character requirement
The Schedule
Clause 44 inserted into the Bill. Consequential amendments to clause 48 and the Schedule.
The amendments are government concessions to the LibDems, tabled at Report stage. Section 3(2) of BNA 1981 enables a child born to certain parents outside the UK to be registered as a British citizen within 12 months of birth. The amendment removes the 12 month deadline and provides that a child should be under 18 on date of application.
10. Clause 45 – British Nationals (Overseas) without other citizenship
The Schedule
Clause 45 inserted into the Bill. Consequential amendment to the Schedule.
The amendments are government concessions to the LibDems, tabled at Report stage, providing that an otherwise stateless British National (Overseas) can register as a full British citizen.
11 Clause 46 Descent through the female line
This Clause, inserted by Government amendment, was the culmination of a campaign lasting many years by LibDems to give the child born overseas to a British mother and a foreign father the right to British citizenship that has always been enjoyed by the child of a British father and a foreign mother.
12. What was Clause 48 – Common Travel Area
Clause 51 – Entry otherwise than by sea or air: immigration control
Clause 60 - Commencement
What was clause 48 (entitled “Common Travel Area”) was removed by a government defeat at Report stage in the Lords. This was a Conservative amendment which we supported. Clause 51 was inserted on a division by a Lib Dem amendment which the Tories supported. Clause 48 effectively ended the Common Travel Area. Clause 51 protects travel across the land border. The amendments to clause 60 were consequential amendments moved at Third Reading without a division.
13. Clause 55 – Fresh claim applications
Clause 59 - Extent
This clause was inserted by a Government defeat at report stage. It also removed what was clause 52, entitled “Transfer of immigration or nationality judicial review applications”. This was a joint Conservative and Lib Dem amendment which we worked on and drafted together. The amendments to clause 59 were consequential amendments added at Third Reading without a division
14. Clause 56 – Trafficking people for exploitation
Clause 59 – Extent
Clause 60 – Commencement
Clause 55 inserted into the Bill. Consequential amendments to clauses 59 and 60.
These amendments are government concessions, mainly to the Conservatives, but to members from all benches in the Lords too. It widens the definition of the offence of human trafficking to capture the mischief usually referred to as “trafficking of children for benefit fraud”. LibDems welcomed the amendments.
15. Clause 59 – Extent
There were Government amendments at Committee to clarify that the new clause on PACE extends to England, Wales and Northern Ireland only. The LibDems agreed to the amendments.
Apart from the changes to the Bill itself, we also had a promise from the Minister, Lord West, to put the correspondence arising out of our debates on the web. They aren't easy to find, but the references are www.parliament.uk/deposits/depositedpapers/2009/DEP2009-1118.pdf, DEP2009-1094.zip, DEP2009-1047.pdf, DEP2009-1003.pdf, DEP2009-0947.pdf, DEP2009-0924.pdf, and DEP2009-0898.pdf.
In my experience, this fairly short Bill has generated an unprecedented volume of correspondence. We know that Ministers are anxious to get the Bill through by the summer recess, and that may give us some bargaining power when the Government knock out the modest transitional provision that was inserted by a combination of ourselves and the Tories, to allow thise who had already spent several years on the road to citizenship, to continue along the same path, without having to jump the new hurdles of 'active citizenship' and examinations to test their knowledge of English, and of British society.
References are to the Bill as introduced in the Commons (Bill 86, printed 23rd April)
1. Clause 1 – General customs functions of the Secretary of State
Clause 7 – Customs revenue functions of the Director
The Government tabled amendments at Report to meet concerns expressed at Committee about the lack of clarity in the functions exercisable by UKBA officers. The wording of the clause is still obscure.
2. Clause 22 – Application of the PACE orders
Clause 23 – Investigations and detentions: England and Wales and Northern Ireland
Clause 22, inserted by a Government amendment on Committee with LibDem agreement, enables transfer of HMRC officers to UKBA while keeping all existing powers. Consequential amendments inserted into clause 23.
3. Clause 25 – Short-term holding facilities
Schedule
Clause 25 inserted by Government amendment on Committee, provides UKBA and HMRC with flexibility on the use of short-term holding facilities for detainees. Amendment to the Schedule is consequential. LibDems agreed to these amendments.
4. Clause 30 – Complaints and misconducts
An amendment, moved by the Government at Committee, gives the IPCC the same oversight role in respect of contractors who carry out immigration and asylum enforcement functions on behalf of the UKBA exercises in England and Wales. LibDems agreed, but wanted the amendment to extend to the juxtaposed controls at the Channel ports as well.
5. Clause 36 – Power to make supplementary etc. provision
Clause 37 – Subordinate legislation
Government amendments left out provisions relating to Scotland, and the LibDems agreed.
6. Clause 39 – Exceptions to application of Part 1
This clause, inserted by a Conservative amendment with LibDem support at Report stage provides that a person who submits an application for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the 12 months after the commencement of Part 2 of the Bill, can have the claims decided under the current citizenship arrangements. The Government will try to remove this in the Commons.
7. Clause 40 – Application requirements: general
Clause 41 – Application requirements: family members etc.
Clause 49 – Meaning of references to being in breach of immigration laws
There were various government amendments moved at Committee to these clauses to ensure that a person with an acceptable form of immigration status has a qualifying common travel area entitlement. The LibDems agreed to this.
8. Clause 40 – Application requirements: general
Clause 41 – Application requirements: family members etc.
The Government tabled amendments at Report to provide a discretion to waive the requirement to have had a qualified immigration status for the whole of the qualifying period in relation to applications made under Section 6 of BNA 1981. In the case of refugees the discretion would be exercised where ‘undue delay’ has occurred in determining an asylum application or where the delay was not attributable to the applicant, though ‘undue delay was not defined. These represent a partial concession to Lord Hylton and to the LibDems. Whilst we welcomed the amendments they didn’t go quite far enough for us.
9. Clause 44 – Minors
Clause 48 – Good character requirement
The Schedule
Clause 44 inserted into the Bill. Consequential amendments to clause 48 and the Schedule.
The amendments are government concessions to the LibDems, tabled at Report stage. Section 3(2) of BNA 1981 enables a child born to certain parents outside the UK to be registered as a British citizen within 12 months of birth. The amendment removes the 12 month deadline and provides that a child should be under 18 on date of application.
10. Clause 45 – British Nationals (Overseas) without other citizenship
The Schedule
Clause 45 inserted into the Bill. Consequential amendment to the Schedule.
The amendments are government concessions to the LibDems, tabled at Report stage, providing that an otherwise stateless British National (Overseas) can register as a full British citizen.
11 Clause 46 Descent through the female line
This Clause, inserted by Government amendment, was the culmination of a campaign lasting many years by LibDems to give the child born overseas to a British mother and a foreign father the right to British citizenship that has always been enjoyed by the child of a British father and a foreign mother.
12. What was Clause 48 – Common Travel Area
Clause 51 – Entry otherwise than by sea or air: immigration control
Clause 60 - Commencement
What was clause 48 (entitled “Common Travel Area”) was removed by a government defeat at Report stage in the Lords. This was a Conservative amendment which we supported. Clause 51 was inserted on a division by a Lib Dem amendment which the Tories supported. Clause 48 effectively ended the Common Travel Area. Clause 51 protects travel across the land border. The amendments to clause 60 were consequential amendments moved at Third Reading without a division.
13. Clause 55 – Fresh claim applications
Clause 59 - Extent
This clause was inserted by a Government defeat at report stage. It also removed what was clause 52, entitled “Transfer of immigration or nationality judicial review applications”. This was a joint Conservative and Lib Dem amendment which we worked on and drafted together. The amendments to clause 59 were consequential amendments added at Third Reading without a division
14. Clause 56 – Trafficking people for exploitation
Clause 59 – Extent
Clause 60 – Commencement
Clause 55 inserted into the Bill. Consequential amendments to clauses 59 and 60.
These amendments are government concessions, mainly to the Conservatives, but to members from all benches in the Lords too. It widens the definition of the offence of human trafficking to capture the mischief usually referred to as “trafficking of children for benefit fraud”. LibDems welcomed the amendments.
15. Clause 59 – Extent
There were Government amendments at Committee to clarify that the new clause on PACE extends to England, Wales and Northern Ireland only. The LibDems agreed to the amendments.
Apart from the changes to the Bill itself, we also had a promise from the Minister, Lord West, to put the correspondence arising out of our debates on the web. They aren't easy to find, but the references are www.parliament.uk/deposits/depositedpapers/2009/DEP2009-1118.pdf, DEP2009-1094.zip, DEP2009-1047.pdf, DEP2009-1003.pdf, DEP2009-0947.pdf, DEP2009-0924.pdf, and DEP2009-0898.pdf.
In my experience, this fairly short Bill has generated an unprecedented volume of correspondence. We know that Ministers are anxious to get the Bill through by the summer recess, and that may give us some bargaining power when the Government knock out the modest transitional provision that was inserted by a combination of ourselves and the Tories, to allow thise who had already spent several years on the road to citizenship, to continue along the same path, without having to jump the new hurdles of 'active citizenship' and examinations to test their knowledge of English, and of British society.
This week
Monday
Attended a very useful meeting at the Foreign Office with Mark Malloch-Brown to discuss the persecution of Ahmadiyya Muslims in Pakistan, organised by Justine Greening, the MP who represents Putney where the world headquarters of the Ahmadis is based. The situation is getting even worse, as the extremists become ever bolder, and the forces of law and order are unable or unwilling to cope.
Then, a visit from journalist Masooda Bhatti to talk about Bangladesh.
Tuesday
Shadia Syed to lunch, discussion on Bangladesh.
Baroness Ward had a question about polygamous marriage in the UK (not lawful). I asked what the rule would be if a person who was granted asylum had a polyhamous marriage in his country of origin. Would all the wives and their chilfren be eligible to join the refugee in the UK? The Minister didn't know the answer and promised to write to me.
In the evening, to Jeremy Thorpe's 80th birthday party at the National Liberal Club. Many of the old faithful were there, but we were specially delighted to see his son Rupert, who is my godson, together with his wife and little boy.
Wednesday
Morning, almost three hours in Select Committee, taking evidence from two sets of witnesses, the last to give evidence in our current inquiry into money laudering and the financing of terrorism.
PM, meeting with the Ven Khemadhammo Mahathera, to discuss (a) the arrangements for providing Buddhist chaplaincy services to the armed forces, and (b) the Counter-Terrorism Check procedures for Buddhist chaplains in the prisons.
Thursday
Parliamentary Human Rights Group seminar on the work of human rights defenders, then to City Hall for a meeting on the provision of acommodation for Gypsies and Travellers in Greater London. The Accommodation Needs Assessment reveals a shortage of 770 pitches by 2012, and the most optimistic estimate is that half of these will be provided. All the London Boroughs are waiting to see how the 770 pitches are going to be translated into allocations to the Boroughs, and in the meanwhile there are no sites under construction.
Attended a very useful meeting at the Foreign Office with Mark Malloch-Brown to discuss the persecution of Ahmadiyya Muslims in Pakistan, organised by Justine Greening, the MP who represents Putney where the world headquarters of the Ahmadis is based. The situation is getting even worse, as the extremists become ever bolder, and the forces of law and order are unable or unwilling to cope.
Then, a visit from journalist Masooda Bhatti to talk about Bangladesh.
Tuesday
Shadia Syed to lunch, discussion on Bangladesh.
Baroness Ward had a question about polygamous marriage in the UK (not lawful). I asked what the rule would be if a person who was granted asylum had a polyhamous marriage in his country of origin. Would all the wives and their chilfren be eligible to join the refugee in the UK? The Minister didn't know the answer and promised to write to me.
In the evening, to Jeremy Thorpe's 80th birthday party at the National Liberal Club. Many of the old faithful were there, but we were specially delighted to see his son Rupert, who is my godson, together with his wife and little boy.
Wednesday
Morning, almost three hours in Select Committee, taking evidence from two sets of witnesses, the last to give evidence in our current inquiry into money laudering and the financing of terrorism.
PM, meeting with the Ven Khemadhammo Mahathera, to discuss (a) the arrangements for providing Buddhist chaplaincy services to the armed forces, and (b) the Counter-Terrorism Check procedures for Buddhist chaplains in the prisons.
Thursday
Parliamentary Human Rights Group seminar on the work of human rights defenders, then to City Hall for a meeting on the provision of acommodation for Gypsies and Travellers in Greater London. The Accommodation Needs Assessment reveals a shortage of 770 pitches by 2012, and the most optimistic estimate is that half of these will be provided. All the London Boroughs are waiting to see how the 770 pitches are going to be translated into allocations to the Boroughs, and in the meanwhile there are no sites under construction.
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