Family migration to be investigated by Lords Committee

The inquiry will approach family migration policies in the widest possible sense, including the general trends in the design of family immigration pathways, how migration policies affect families, and how family migration policies affect society.

The inquiry primarily relates to the UK context. The committee, however, is interested in international comparisons and will explore foreign family migration policies that could inform its consideration of UK policies.

Topics the committee is seeking evidence on include:

• The design of family migration law (mainstream immigration pathways as well as bespoke immigration schemes), especially any discrepancies in the family reunion rights granted to applicants depending on their immigration pathway
• How families are affected by migration policies, including the experience of children being separated from parents or relatives, the enforcement of the right to a private life, and financial matters
• How family migration policies affect society, including public services, local authorities, the public purse, and the economy.

Baroness Hamwee, Chair of the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee said:

“The UK’s mainstream immigration pathways may result in family separation: British children who cannot grow up with their foreign parent, British citizens who cannot live with their foreign partners, child refugees who cannot reunite with parents, or adults who cannot look after dependent parents. These rules, introduced ten years ago, apply to the immigration of EU nationals since March this year.

Various bespoke immigration schemes have been introduced in response to recent geopolitical events – Syria, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Ukraine, among others – and each provide different family reunion rules, separating families in different ways depending on their country of nationality.

The Justice and Home Affairs Committee is launching an inquiry into family migration and rules relating to the reunion of divided families. We will consider the inconsistencies between various migration policies affecting families, as well as how family migration policies affect society. We encourage anyone with experience or expertise in this subject to share their views with the committee.”

The committee invites interested individuals and organisations to submit written evidence by 15 September. The full call for evidence and further information is available on the committee’s website.