Tuesday Volume 600 20 October 2015 No. 53 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 20 October 2015 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2015 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 793 20 OCTOBER 2015 794 healthcare. Then there are those who are coming from House of Commons countries where, frankly, life is very hard, and we have to work with those countries of origin to ensure economic Tuesday 20 October 2015 development that gives everybody a chance to do something that gives them an incentive and a reason to want to stay. The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Sir Simon Burns: Does my right hon. Friend agree PRAYERS that, important as it is to address the long-term causes of mass migration from outside the EU, it is equally critical to address the problems of mass migration [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] within the EU caused by the artificial pull factor of our welfare system? Oral Answers to Questions Mr Hammond: I agree. As I said in my opening response, that is where we are focused—dealing with the very generous access to benefits and public services that acts as a distortion in the labour market, and which FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE encourages people to come to the UK in anticipation of net earnings far higher than the wages they could otherwise earn. The Secretary of State was asked— Mass Migration Wendy Morton: Does my right hon. Friend agree that the UK’s position outside the Schengen area is a great 1. Rishi Sunak (Richmond (Yorks)) (Con): What advantage in addressing the causes and consequences of assessment he has made of the likely long-term effects the ongoing migration crisis? of the current refugee crisis on efforts to address mass migration into and within the EU. [901647] Mr Hammond: Again, I agree. Being outside the Schengen area has allowed us to stand back from the 11. Sir Simon Burns (Chelmsford) (Con): What (a) immediate pressure of this migration crisis and take a assessment he has made and (b) discussions he has had slightly more detached view, where we have focused on with his EU counterparts on the likely long-term helping in the upstream areas with very generous effects of the current refugee crisis on efforts to address humanitarian support to the Syrian region. It is not mass migration into and within the EU. [901657] only being outside the Schengen area; it is having the justice and home affairs opt-out that allows us to say 15. Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) (Con): very clearly that we will not share in any compulsory What assessment he has made of the likely long-term reallocation of migrants within the EU. effects of the current refugee crisis on efforts to address mass migration into and within the EU. [901661] Stephen Twigg (Liverpool, West Derby) (Lab/Co-op): How will the Government ensure that the 20,000 refugees The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth they have agreed to take from the region include some Affairs (Mr Philip Hammond): I discussed the migration of the most vulnerable—children, disabled people, women crisis with my counterparts at the EU Foreign Affairs who may have faced sexual violence—and how many of Council earlier this month. There is rising recognition those refugees does the right hon. Gentleman expect to among EU member states that Europe cannot continue be here by Christmas? indefinitely to absorb very large numbers of migrants and that a comprehensive approach is needed, with Mr Hammond: The hon. Gentleman makes an excellent much greater focus on tackling the root causes of migration point. This is exactly the Prime Minister’s point: many as the UK has long advocated. On the issue of mass of the people we see on our television screens walking migration within the EU, my right hon. Friend the down railway lines are fit young men coming to Europe Prime Minister has made it clear that we are focused on to look for work—and that’s fine—but there are also reforming migrant access to welfare to reduce the artificial many extraordinarily vulnerable individuals in displaced pull factors that draw migrants to the UK. persons camps who are simply not able to try to make that difficult and dangerous crossing into Europe, and Rishi Sunak: I thank the Secretary of State for that we will take those people, asking the UN to prioritise answer. Does he agree that the best long-term solution the most vulnerable. to tackling the migration crisis is to improve the living conditions of people in major source countries and that Mary Creagh (Wakefield) (Lab): Some of those fit this Government’s commitment on international aid is young men are fleeing the conscription of Assad’s regime a tangible example of our leadership in that area? because they do not want to kill their own people. Turkey and Lebanon cannot continue indefinitely to Mr Hammond: I agree with my hon. Friend. There absorb the millions of refugees from Syria’s crisis. What are two distinct groups. There are those who are displaced is the right hon. Gentleman going to do to respond with by war and conflict, and for the period of their displacement compassion and competence in the European Union? we have to ensure they have the resources they need, Will he reconsider his decision not to participate in the usually through the United Nations, to feed themselves resettlement from within the EU, as Ireland and Denmark and to be able to educate their children and to access have done? 795 Oral Answers20 OCTOBER 2015 Oral Answers 796 Mr Hammond: No, we will not reconsider that decision. Mr Hammond: I am happy to agree with the right We judge that the best contribution we can make is to hon. Gentleman that co-operation between states is the take some of the most vulnerable. I am not saying that right answer. Unfortunately, however, that is not what the fit young men do not have a reason for fleeing. I am happens when competences are ceded to the EU, which saying that we must focus on the most vulnerable people, results in dictation to states by the European Union. who do not have the option to flee. While I am on my That is a distinction that he would be well advised to feet, I would like to pay tribute to Turkey, Lebanon and study. Jordan, who have borne an extraordinary burden over many years, absorbing refugees and displaced people Paris Climate Change Conference from Syria. Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh (Ochil and South Perthshire) 2. Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (SNP): If the (SNP): Why do the Secretary of State and the Government Government will invite a Minister of the Scottish continue to conflate those important but separate issues? Government to join the UK delegation to the Paris The refugee crisis—it is not a migrant crisis—is an climate change conference in December 2015. [901648] exceptional circumstance. Those individuals and families are fleeing the region first and foremost for their own The Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington): Yes, safety, but they want to go home. Does he not agree that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy a humanitarian plan for long-term peace in Syria would and Climate Change wrote to all three devolved do far more to address the crisis than these short-term Administrations last month to invite the relevant Ministers measures, which appear to have been designed to curry to join the UK delegation in Paris. favour with the right-wing press? Patrick Grady: That is welcome news, as it will give Mr Hammond: I do not know where the hon. Lady the Scottish Government Minister a chance to speak has got that from. Of course we agree that addressing about Scotland’s ambition to tackle climate change. the upstream problem by getting a political settlement Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that that is particularly in Syria and defeating ISIL so that it cannot carry out important, given the criticisms that the UK Government its barbarous activities is the right way to go. I also are facing today from the United Nations environment agree with her that, when we come to build the new programme, which has stated that their cuts to renewables Syria, post-Assad, we will need those engineers, doctors are completely at odds with the pledges being made by and teachers who are now being encouraged to resettle 150 other countries ahead of the Paris summit? in Europe. We have a responsibility to ensure that the new Syria has access to those qualified and educated Mr Lidington: I obviously welcome the participation people. of Scottish and other devolved Ministers in the UK delegation, but I really think that the hon. Gentleman Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon) (Con): Is my should do a bit of homework and remind himself that right hon. Friend aware of the first robust piece of the UK is well on track to achieve its emissions reduction research undertaken among refugees in Germany, which targets by 2020, en route to the 80% reduction by 2050. shows that 70% of them blame Assad and his barrel And I am sorry that he did not even mention the Prime bombs for their predicament? The rest blame the murderous Minister’s commitment of a further nearly £6 billion in ISIL group. Only 8% of them want to remain in Europe, additional climate finance to help the poorest countries with 92% wanting to return home, which speaks directly to adapt to the challenge of climate change.