Today’s Home Office related coverage includes the legal case surrounding Samim Bigzad, as well as permits for non-EU migrants.
Residence permits for non-EU migrants
The Mail reports that more than 865,000 non-EU migrants were granted residence permits last year; claiming this is a rate of one every 36 seconds. According to the piece, the figure is up 52 per cent on the 570,000 total recorded two years ago.
The Home Office’s response to this story can be found below.
A Home Office spokesperson said:
As the UK does not issue residence permits, these figures do not represent residency in the UK and therefore cannot be accurately compared, all of which is acknowledged by Eurostat.
Coverage of Samim Bigzad asylum case
The Independent reports on claims that the Immigration Minister, Brandon Lewis, gave “false information” to the Home Affairs Committee on why the Home Office allegedly “violated” a court order to deport Samim Bigzad, an Afghan asylum seeker. It says the High Court ruled that the Government had committed “prima facie contempt of court” by “forcing” Mr Bigzad onto a flight to Kabul after receiving an injunction ordering his immediate return to the UK.
The Home Office’s response to this story can be found below.
A Home Office spokesperson said:
Legal proceedings are ongoing and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.