Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the (a) extent to which UK borders are sovereign and (b) the effect of the European Convention on Human Rights on the Government's ability to return illegal migrants to safe counties from which they came to the UK; and what policy options other than withdrawal from the ECHR his Department has assessed in order to facilitate that ability.  [63640]

[Due for Answer on 29 October. Answered on 1 November.]

ANSWER

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Immigration, Compliance and Courts (Tom Pursglove): The Government is taking back control of its borders. The New Plan for Immigration, and the Nationality and Borders Bill currently in Parliament, will ensure that if somebody claim s asylum in the UK having previously made, or having had the opportunity to make, a claim for asylum in a safe third country, we will consider treating their asylum claim as inadmissible, and removing them to a safe country. Any such removal must be compliant with our ECHR obligations.