Peers have threatened to delay the Illegal Migration Bill until the Government publishes the “facts and figures” showing the financial impact of the controversial proposals.
Home Office minister Lord Murray of Blidworth was heckled by peers as he repeatedly said an economic impact assessment on the Bill would be “published in due course”.
But former senior judge Baroness Butler-Sloss, an independent crossbench peer, said it was “outrageous” the House of Lords was being asked to take decisions on the proposals without knowing the predicted impact of them.
Labour’s Lord Hunt of Kings Heath received shouts of encouragement as he said the Bill should not progress to its next stage without the impact assessment being available.
The Bill is a key part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s bid to deter people from crossing the Channel in small boats.
The reforms would prevent people from claiming asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorised means.
The Government also hopes the changes will ensure detained people are promptly removed, either to their home country or a third country such as Rwanda.
The Bill is undergoing line-by-line scrutiny in the Lords at committee stage, with the Government braced for amendments to be made by peers at report stage.
After Lord Murray sidestepped questions on the details and timing of the economic impact assessment, Lady Butler-Sloss said: “How does the Government justify not having an impact statement until presumably the whole of this House has completed its dealing with the Bill?
“It seems to me outrageous. How can the Government justify it?”
The peer, who is widely considered to be one of the country’s foremost legal minds, also hit out at the cruel nature of the bill.
Watch her comments in full below:
Related: Sunak urged to block Johnson from handing honours to ‘carousel of cronies’
