Lords Committee takes evidence on external aspects of the refugee and migration crisis
On Thursday 21 January the House of Lords EU Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee will take evidence on the European Union's external activities to tackle the refugee and migration crisis, including the EU's naval mission in the Mediterranean.
Senior officials from the Foreign Office will give evidence to the Committee just after 10.00am.
The evidence session is being held in advance of a short inquiry on EUNAVFOR MED, the EU's naval mission in the Mediterranean, which is expected to commence in February.
Mr Edward Hobart, Migration Envoy, Europe Directorate, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Mr Richard Lindsay, Head of Security Policy Department, Defence and International Security Directorate, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, are to give evidence.
The session will cover a variety of questions, including:
- How many refugees and illegal migrants are reported to have reached EU shores in 2015?
- Do you expect this to be higher or lower this year?
- What are the main routes and what are the main nationalities?
- What agreements have been reached with other (non-EU) countries on the management of migrants and refugees?
- How would you assess the effectiveness of the EU naval mission – Operation Sophia – in meeting its mandate of both disrupting the business model of smugglers and saving lives?
- What progress has been made on the Commission's proposal that Member States should share responsibility for processing asylum applications and resettling refugees?
- What steps have been taken to repatriate migrants and negotiate readmission agreements with countries of origin?
The evidence session will start at 10.05am on Thursday 21 January in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords.
