There are 145,000 expat UK pensioners registered to use European healthcare systems compared with 4,000 European pensioners in the UK, government figures suggest.

Select Committee
Parliament

Lady Massey asks whether the UK is really experiencing higher levels of immigration, and which models for controlling immigration are being considered.

Robert Goodwill  says the UK is experiencing "high levels" of immigration from the EU, which "only five other European countries" are experiencing to the same extent.

He says the UK's strong economic performance and high levels of employment compared to some EU countries is a factor in attracting people to migrate to work in the UK.

Mr Goodwill says he does not support a regional immigration policy, as suggested by the SNP, as there would be no way to stop people from moving out of those areas once they have gained entry to the UK.

He goes on to say that different models could be applied to different sectors of employment or academic study.

Select Committee
Parliament

Conservative peer Lord Cormack asks what problems the government is trying to solve in its negotiations on immigration.

David Jones says the government is seeking to restore sovereignty to the UK parliament, retain full immigration control and maintain good trading relationships.

Lord Cormack asks if there will be a "clear statement of friendship" to the European states before negotiations begin.

Mr Jones says Britain has made clear it will not be "withdrawing geographically or otherwise" from Europe.

Mr Goodwill says the government has already shown it is willing to be "engaged and positive" ahead of the negotiations, and that an offer to guarantee the status of EU citizens in the UK was rebuffed by Michel Barnier.

Lord Cormack says the government "could and should" make an independent declaration that EU citizens in the UK will have leave to remain.

Mr Goodwill says he cannot "write off" the rights of UK citizens living in EU countries who have not been given a reciprocal guarantee on their rights to remain in those countries.

Select Committee
Parliament

Crossbench peer Lord Jay asks David Jones, minister in the Department for Exiting the EU, what kind of treaties are likely to be put in place covering immigration post-Brexit.

Mr Jones says that, by default, control over all immigration will return to the UK parliament at the end of the Article 50 process.

He says there will be a "twin-track negotiation" covering not just the terms of exit from the EU, but on what happens afterwards.

Labour's Baroness Massey pursues this point, asking if negotiations over freedom of movement will be tied to negotiations on access to the single market.

Mr Jones says the "ambition" is to negotiate migration and market access together.

Mr Goodwill says trade and immigration are not the only important issues needing to be negotiated - including agreements on fishing rights, transport and recognition of qualifications.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs begin shortly with questions to the International Development Secretary, Priti Patel, and ministerial team; followed by the first Prime Minister's Questions of the new year.

This will be followed by an urgent question from Green Party leader Caroline Lucas on the Green Investment Bank.

Backbench Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake will then introduce his bill enabling families to look after their finances of a missing relative. 

The rest of the day will be dominated by Labour's debate on the NHS and social care funding. 

Select Committee
Parliament

Labour peer Lords Watts asks why the government has not been able to control the rate of immigration from non-EU nationals, over which it has always had independent control.

Mr Goodwill says loopholes relating to "bogus" language colleges have been closed, and there are now higher language requirements before people from outside the EU can enter the country.

He goes on to say that the growing economy has meant that UK employers have had to continue recruiting from overseas in certain skilled areas.

Select Committee
Parliament

Committee chair Baroness Prashar opens the session with the ministers by asking how they define the government's ambition to "take back control" of immigration.

Robert Goodwill says the government is looking to reduce net immigration to the tens of thousands over time.

He says some parts of the country have experienced "social pressures" and problems with housing due to the concentration of immigration into particular areas.

Labour peer Lord O'Neill asks if EU nationals are currently turned away at the UK border.

Mr Goodwill points out that the UK is not part of the Schengen zone and that the UK applies border controls for all people, including EU or EEA nationals.  

He says "nearly 9,000" EEA nationals have been refused entry to the UK since 2010.

Select Committee
Parliament

We're now turning to a new committee this morning...

This Lords committee is holding a short inquiry into possible arrangements for migration of EU citizens to the UK, and their potential implications for UK citizens moving to the EU, after the UK has ceased to be a member of the EU.

These arrangements would potentially replace the current right of ‘free movement’ between the UK and EU for EU citizens.

This morning, the committee are hearing from:

• Robert Goodwill, Minister of State for Immigration, Home Office
• David Jones, Minister of State, Department for Exiting the European Union

Select Committee
Parliament

Both Heidi Alexander and Committee chair Frank Field ask the panel who should be responsible for ensuring victims of slavery receive ongoing support and advocacy, within already hard-pressed social services.

Kate Rogers says a specialist social worker could be one solution, as reliance on charitable organisations is "patchy".

Lady Butler-Sloss says the key would be giving identified victims leave to remain in the country for at least a year, granting access to benefits as "a first step".

Select Committee
Parliament

The SNP's Mhairi Black asks if people can appeal a decision that finds them not to be a victim of modern slavery.

Kate Rogers says there is no mechanism for people to appeal a "negative decision".

She says it is possible to put a final decision through a judicial review, or for an advocate to write an appeal to the deciding authority, "but there is no clear pathway".

Select Committee
Parliament

Conservative Heidi Alexander asks for the panel's views on how the lack of support for victims can be quickly addressed.

Lady Butler-Sloss says new guidance is currently being drawn up, to give identified victims of slavery priority when seeking help from local authorities.  

She says this puts the committee in a very powerful position to influence the drafting of that guidance.

Fellow Conservative Royston Smith follows up the point asking how victims can be identified in the first place.  

Louise Gleich says some people are trafficked specifically for the purposes of benefit fraud, she says 

Jobcentre staff need to be aware that a person making a fraudulent claim may be being coerced by a trafficker.

Select Committee
Parliament

Louise Gleich, from the Christian Action Research and Education, says the "most fundamental need" of victims of slavery is to have secure accommodation and access to benefits to avoid destitution.

She says any increased expenditure would only apply to a small number of cases each year, compared to the overall benefits bill.

Select Committee
Parliament

Kate Roberts, from the Human Trafficking Foundation, goes on to talk about the experience of victims of modern slavery.

She says victims are required to cooperate with the police and give detailed and "distressing evidence" for the prosecution of their trafficker or abuser, only to find themselves "destitute" and without ongoing support once that evidence is gathered.

Select Committee
Parliament

Committee chair Frank Field opens this hearing on modern slavery by asking Elizabeth Butler-Sloss her view on how the Modern Slavery Act is working in practice.

Baroness Butler-Sloss says she feels the law is working well with strong sentencing available for people convicted of carrying out acts of modern slavery.

However, the victims of modern slavery need more rights under the law, she says. Compared to the rights of refugees, she says victims of modern slavery are only entitled to help for a limited period of 45 days and may face deportation.

Select Committee
Parliament

The Work and Pensions Committee is continuing their inquiry examining the policies and processes affecting recognised victims of modern slavery, and to assess potential changes in policy after Brexit.

The witnesses this morning are:

• Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, Trustee, Human Trafficking Foundation 
• Kate Roberts, Head of Office, Human Trafficking Foundation
• Louise Gleich, Senior Policy Officer - Human Trafficking, Christian Action Research and Education 
• Tatiana Gren-Jardan, Victim Support and Partnerships Adviser, Office of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner 
• Kevin Hyland, Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Office of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner.

Welcome to our coverage of another day's business at Westminster.

We're turning to the Work and Pensions Committee first - and its inquiry into modern slavery.