Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill [HL]

I will speak to the two amendments in this group in the name of my noble friend Lord Smith. Amendment 108CA deals with visas. Given the benefits that the common travel area has brought to the UK and the Republic of Ireland, we would be in favour of legislation that formalised the increase of transparency in the common travel area. For that reason, we support moves to introduce a common visa system or a system of mutual recognition of visas between common travel area members. For that to be effective and just, it should apply to those in the common travel area on long-term visas and be easily affordable for those applying. Such a system should include not only short-term visas but the right to rely on a residence permit issued in one state in order to travel to the other. That would be of use to many including those on long-term study visas or who work within the border regions. Furthermore, if a system of mutually recognised visas or a common visa were in place, there would be no need for the leave to be endorsed. The Republic is currently working on its own e-Borders programme. In the light of this, we feel that it would be more appropriate for the Government to work closely with the Irish Government effectively to draw a line around our two islands and allow the free flow of movement between them. To that end, will the checks be relaxed if a complementary system of e-Borders and visa checks is developed between Ireland and the UK? Amendment 108CB concerns various forms of identity. Clause 46 will allow immigration officials to challenge an individual whom they suspect of not being in compliance with immigration rules to prove their nationality. This will apply not only to those travelling by sea and air, but to those stopped by an ad hoc immigration check near the land border. This power can be applied to any individual, including British and Irish nationals. Clearly, there will be a considerable socio-economic impact on CTA nationals who travel between the UK and Ireland and who do not have passports or identity cards, because they will now have to purchase them. A friend of mine recently decided to leave home and get married. He was of mature years, but because he lived at home, he did not have gas bills in his name. He has never driven a car and he has never been abroad. He had great difficulty in getting a mortgage. The whole business of identity is important. One can see how this can be replicated, with people having to understand their identity and prove it. Communities on the border will be affected, especially those near sea crossings and where tourism is a cross-border pursuit by virtue of the proximity between the north and south of Ireland. The lakes of Fermanagh straddle the two jurisdictions and are major tourism destinations both in the Republic and Northern Ireland. It would be severely inconvenient for people there to have to carry identification. There could be a particularly significant impact on ethnic minority communities in these locales. The impact of these measures will be disproportionately felt in Northern Ireland. It is our belief that they will impact negatively on levels of trade and tourism. I turn now to the clause standing part. The UK Border Agency’s figures suggest that implementing these measures would lead to an economic cost from loss of tourism revenues of up to £12 million in the first year. However, it is not clear where the figures come from, or to whom they apply. Is the Minister able to elaborate? Does this cost apply to tourism in the UK, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands? Have the Government had any discussions with the Irish Government about the potential impact on tourism? The tourism industry is one of the most important sectors of the Northern Ireland economy, and to introduce a measure that could damage it in current economic circumstances is quite irresponsible. One effect of the downturn in the economy is that people may holiday at home or in the common travel area, and not go to more exotic places. This measure would put a dampener on that. I will deal with one other area. Reference has been made to the Isle of Man. As I indicated, I have had a love affair with the Isle of Man since 1946. The Isle of Man received the draft Bill on 18 December, with the First Reading due on 14 January. It seems that there was very little notice. I do not understand that, because under the Belfast agreement there was to be something called the Council of the Isles. The Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England would all be represented in the Council of the Isles. Has this subject been taken to the Council of the Isles? I cannot think of anything more suitable for a discussion there than this. If it has not been discussed by the council, the Government should frankly withdraw it and have proper discussions, and then consider these matters.