The government should look at English Channel crossings with “perspective”, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has said.
An official told MPs that Britain only receives a “small number” of asylum seekers in comparison to other countries in Europe and that the vast majority of refugees stay in regions near their home nation.
“The UK by reason of its geographical position and relative distance from crisis countries receives a pretty small number of refugees,” said Rossella Pagliuchi-Lor, the UNHCR representative to the UK.
“I urge you to look at this in perspective … the Channel crisis is certainly a challenge but needs to be looked at with the broader perspective of a global challenge for all countries in respect to displacement.”
Home Office figures suggest that more than 16,000 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats so far this year, almost double the total for the whole of 2020.
Recommended Priti Patel’s asylum plan will break international law, says UNHCR Home Office chief refuses to tell MPs legal basis on which pushbacks in Channel can be used More than 800 migrants intercepted crossing English Channel in one day, Home Office says Asylum seekers jailed for steering dinghies across Channel despite ‘not being part of criminal gangs’
Ms Pagliuchi-Lor said that although the number of crossings had increased, the overall number of applications was “relatively stable” at around 35,000 a year, far below France, Germany, Spain, Greece, Italy and other countries.
She warned that nations such as Jordan and Pakistan that neighbour warzones have seen “frankly enormous” influxes, which they cannot cope with alone.
The official made the comments to a parliamentary committee considering the Nationality and Borders Bill, which would make it a criminal offence to enter Britain without “entry clearance”.
The UNHCR previously said the proposals violate international law, by creating an “unfair two-tier asylum system” that discriminates on the basis of how people arrive with no lawful basis.
Asylum cannot be sought from outside the UK, and the change would mean refugees reaching the country on small boats and other irregular means face four years in prison.
The bill would also make it easier to prosecute asylum seekers who steer boats, and people who provide humanitarian assistance, for “assisting unlawful immigration”.
？
What's behind the Channel crossing 'crisis'?
Ms Pagliuchi-Lor said people should not be penalised where they act for humanitarian reasons rather than financial benefit or other forms of gain.
The government has said the measures would “deter illegal entry into the UK, to break the business model of people smuggling networks and to protect the lives of those they endanger”.
Witnesses speaking to the committee on Thursday questioned evidence for the claim.
Dame Sara Thornton, the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, said there were “many other factors” considered by asylum seekers journeying to the UK, “rather than thinking about ‘what is the nature of the law when we get there’.”
She warned the proposals, which include limiting asylum seekers’ access to public support, could worsen modern slavery in the UK by making vulnerable people destitute and desperate.
“You risk that with a hope this will deter ... but I’m concerned about the extent to which there is evidence that it will be effective,” she added.
It came days after a government impact assessment said there was a risk that increased security and deterrence in the Chanel could encourage migrants to attempt riskier means of entering the UK, adding: “Deploying these measures does advance the legitimate aim of encouraging asylum seekers to claim in the first safe country they reach and not undertaking dangerous journeys facilitated by smugglers to get to the UK, though evidence supporting the effectiveness of this approach is limited.”
The government has announced new schemes to resettle refugees directly from the Middle East and Asia, but critics say the places offered are not sufficient and the process too slow.
UK news in pictures Show all 50
1/50UK news in pictures
UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the “ups and downs” of her mother’s case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran
AP
UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by ‘CrackTheCrises’ coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London
EPA
UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for ￡12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent
PA
UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London
PA
UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium
Action Images/Reuters
UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester,
Reuters
UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September
PA
UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson
PA
UK news in pictures 15 September 2021 Children pose by ice sculptures depicting people collecting water by charity Water Aid to show the fragility of water and the threat posed by climate change in London
AFP/Getty
UK news in pictures 14 September 2021 Heavy rain covers the A149 near Kings Lynn in Norfolk
PA
UK news in pictures 13 September 2021 Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon' at Durham Cathedral
PA
UK news in pictures 12 September 2021 Inspirational young fundraiser Tobias Weller crosses the finish line, near his home in Sheffield, as he completes his latest epic feat where he swam and triked his way to the end of his “awesome” year-long Ironman Challenge. This is the third challenge Tobias, who has cerebral palsy and autism, has completed, raising more than ￡150,000 for his school and Sheffield Children Hospital’s charity
PA
UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 British player Emma Raducanu, holds up the US Open championship trophy winning the women's singles final of the US Open in New York
AP
UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria
PA
UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queen’s Guard
PA
UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London
Reuters
UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled “Prairie” by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London
EPA
UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic
PA
UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole
PA
UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London.
PA
UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
PA
UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season.
PA
UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire
PA
UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium
Reuters
UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London
EPA
UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London
PA
UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire
POOL/AFP/Getty
UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit
Action Images via Reuters
UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London
Reuters
UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britain’s cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Women’s C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold
Reuters
UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London
PA
UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London
AFP/Getty
UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest
PA
UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London
Reuters
UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach.
PA
UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire
PA
UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families
PA
UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing
Reuters
UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week
PA
UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival
PA
UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident
PA
UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening
PA
UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair
PA
UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges
PA
UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London
Reuters
UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
PA
UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan
PA
UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow
PA
UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14
Getty
UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London
AFP via Getty
Ms Pagliuchi-Lor said the entire bill “revolves around the notion that refugees are required to seek asylum in the first safe country the reach” - but that is not a requirement in international law.
She said such a principle would be “unworkable” in practice, overwhelming developing and low-income countries that are nearest to crisis areas.
Ms Pagliuchi-Lor also raised concerns that the bill, if passed in its current form, could trigger a “race to the bottom” if other countries start trying to renege on commitments under the Refugee Convention.
“We support the broad aims of this bill in terms of tackling smuggling networks, having fair and faster procedures and facilitating returns of those not in need of international protection,” she added.
“We believe this bill will not achieve these aims and in fact it may exacerbate further some of the issues that have been identified.”
Ms Pagliuchi-Lor said changes to mean more asylum applications are declared “inadmissible” by the UK will “create massive problems” at a time when there are no agreements enabling them to be transferred to safe third countries in Europe.
An EU-wide agreement allowing Britain to send asylum seekers to countries they previously passed through, such as France and Germany, expired with Brexit.
Several nations have told The Independent that there are no ongoing negotiations for a replacement.
Ms Pagliuchi-Lor said that since the UK changed its immigration rules, 4,500 asylum seekers had been told their applications may be inadmissible but no-one had been deported and the government was “simply creating a very long queue leading to nowhere”.
“The system as described would exacerbate the current backlog and increase the costs by making the procedures longer,” she added. “I think it will have a number of unintended negative consequences.”