Derek McDowell (Labour)

The Minister is saying he will deal with these applications differently from how he would have dealt with them before, that he will exercise his discretion in a fashion that is informed by the passing of this legislation and that there is a problem in the pipeline that must be addressed. He has not, however, told us the new criteria that will apply, assuming there are new criteria. The Minister suggests that it can be done expeditiously and humanely and that, therefore, there will be criteria that are different from those that have applied before the Bill is passed.

We are being asked to take the Minister at face value, although we do not know what the new criteria and processes will be, and to accept that they will be expeditious and humane. We will not get any further today so it is appropriate and generous just to accept the Minister's assurances. I am concerned, however, that we are dealing with the futures of thousands of people and to have them dealt with entirely separately from statute law and grounded in a system that will not be based on regulation is worrying. It is important that whatever measure of transparency the Minister thinks can be brought to it should be brought to it.