The UK’s chief inspector of borders and immigration has said it is “scandalous” that his watchdog role could be left vacant while the Rwanda scheme is introduced.
In a break with the treatment of his predecessors, David Neal has been told he will not serve a second term as chief inspector of borders and immigration. The Times reported that a successor was unlikely to be appointed for at least six months, covering the period when the prime minister has said he hopes the first flights carrying asylum seekers to Rwanda will take off.
“It’s scandalous that such a critical position at a time of such importance for the country is being left vacant, while the government is expected to implement one of the most controversial immigration policies of this era with the Rwanda policy,” Neal told the paper.
Neal has been highly critical of the government’s performance on immigration, and internal documents released to the Open Democracy website under freedom of information laws have shown Home Office officials were unhappy he was not more positive about their work.
His three-year term is due to end next month. His two predecessors were both reappointed for second terms.
This month Neal submitted a report on the Home Office and the social care visa for foreign workers. It has not yet been published.
From 11 March, overseas care workers will be stopped from bringing dependants into the UK. The shortage occupation list regime will also be scrapped, meaning employers will no longer be able to fill labour gaps by offering 20% below the going rate for jobs.
According to the Times, Neal’s report raised concerns about the handling of the care visa system and examples of abuse.
A government spokesperson said: “Care workers make a vital contribution to society, but immigration is not the long-term answer to our social care needs. That is why measures due to be laid in parliament will cut the rising numbers of visas granted to overseas care workers and address significant concerns about high levels of non-compliance, worker exploitation and abuse within the sector of overseas workers.
“It is also why the government has announced that providers in England will only be able to sponsor migrant workers if they are undertaking activities regulated by the Care Quality Commission.”
On Sunday the illegal migration minister, Michael Tomlinson, claimed people seeking asylum would be sent to Kigali “as soon as possible”. Peers in the House of Lords are due to consider the proposed legislation again this week.
“We are taking and introducing the most robust illegal migration legislation that’s ever been put before parliament,” Tomlinson told the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News.
“This is concrete evidence of what we’re doing. You’ll see tomorrow that the Rwanda bill is back in parliament. It was actually during recess, it was in the House of Lords for two days. It’s back in parliament tomorrow.
“It’s got another committee day that it’s going through, and we’re making sure that we can bring in the Rwanda plan so that the flights can take off. That is my job. That’s my responsibility.”
Not one of the more than 33,000 people targeted by the government has yet been removed, after the supreme court found the government’s flagship immigration policy to be unlawful.
