Safe Countries for Removal: LGBT Rights

Nadia Whittome, the Labour MP for Nottingham East, asked the Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, about the potential merits of removing Georgia from the list of safe countries for removals, in the context of the recent passage of legislation on LGBT rights in that country. In her response, Dame Angela Eagle acknowledged that the government constantly updates its assessment of LGBT rights and other factors affecting the safety of different countries, working closely with the Foreign Office and informed by regular independent reports. She stated that the latest update for Georgia was published last month and is available on the government's website. Nadia Whittome followed up, expressing concern that the safe state designation was intended to allow Georgian and Indian nationals to be returned without any individualised assessment of the safety of the country for each person. She argued that in both countries, persecution of certain minorities is on the rise, making their inclusion on the list particularly problematic. Whittome urged the government to ensure that individuals' asylum claims are always properly assessed. Dame Angela Eagle responded by thanking Whittome for raising the important issue and sharing her concerns. She reiterated that the government regularly monitors and reviews the situation in countries of origin, working closely with the Foreign Office. She stated that should the government assess that the troubling new law in Georgia, or any other changes, fundamentally affect the justification for Georgia's designation, they will seek to remove it from the list, using the correct parliamentary process. Jim Shannon, the DUP MP for Strangford, intervened to highlight the evidential base of persecution of Christians, ethnic minorities, and other human rights abuses in Georgia and other countries. He emphasized the importance of engaging with LGBT rights issues. Dame Angela Eagle acknowledged that addressing such issues is more of a Foreign Office responsibility, and that the government liaises closely with the Foreign Office when considering the production of information notes. She stated that if laws passed in other countries lead to persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution for individuals, that is one of the contexts used to make a decision, including on LGBT rights and other rights.