This petition was submitted during the 2017–2019 Conservative government

Petition Amnesty for anyone who was a minor that arrived In Britain between 1948 to 1971

Windrush Generation were invited as settlers and as British subjects. Minors also had the right to stay.We call on the government to stop all deportations, change the burden of proof and establish an amnesty for anyone who was a minor.The government should also provide compensation for loss & hurt.

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With successive changes in immigration policy and legislation over the last 70 years along with the independence of countries which now form part of the Commonwealth this has created uncertainty and lack of clarity and justice for tens of thousands of individuals who have worked hard, paid their taxes and raised children and grandchildren and who see Britain as their home.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/30/antiguan-who-has-lived-59-years-in-britain-told-he-is-in-uk-illegally

This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months

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Parliament debated this topic

This topic was debated on 30 April 2018

Government responded

This response was given on 23 May 2018

The Government is clear that an amnesty for this group is not required because these people do not require amnesty: they already have the right to remain here.

This petition was debated in Westminster Hall on 30 April 2018 and as part of that debate the Minister for Immigration said:

Let us be in no doubt about the debt of gratitude that this country owes to the Windrush generation… they were invited to come to the United Kingdom immediately after the second world war and in the decades that followed to help us to build modern Britain…

…We cannot fail to be moved and to be ashamed when confronted with the individual stories, but as a result, be determined to get the wrong righted, to sort the cases out and to make sure that the legal status is confirmed.

The Government is clear that an amnesty for this group is not required because these people do not require amnesty: they already have the right to remain here.
The Immigration Act 1971 set out in law a provision that those here before it came into force should be treated as having been given indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK. It also retained a right of abode for certain Commonwealth citizens. Therefore, everyone that arrived in the UK and was settled before 1973 was given settlement rights by operation of law and was not required to have any specific documentation to prove those rights.

Since 1973, many of the Windrush generation will have obtained documentation confirming their status or would have applied for citizenship and then a British passport. For those who have not, the former Home Secretary announced a series of measures on 16 and 23 April 2018 to ensure the Windrush generation could easily obtain documentation to demonstrate that right and could easily go on to apply for British Citizenship.

On 16 April, the previous Home Secretary announced a dedicated taskforce would be established to support the Windrush generation. The taskforce is taking calls and emails from those who are affected and guiding them through the application taskforce. Since its inception on 17 April the taskforce has documented hundreds of individuals who were affected.

In the Westminster Hall debate on this petition, the Minister for Immigration said of the taskforce:

I was in Croydon and in Sheffield with caseworkers who are on the frontline, doing their best to help people through the process.

I have to say that I was very impressed with the determination of those caseworkers to be sympathetic and understanding, and to talk people through the process as gently as they possibly could while at the same time enabling them to give their stories and to provide a picture of their life in the UK—helping them through a process with which we should have been helping them much earlier.

On 23 April, the previous Home Secretary announced four measures to assist those in the Windrush generation to become British Citizens:

Firstly, that the Government will waive the citizenship fee for anyone in the Windrush generation who wishes to apply for citizenship. This applies to those who have no current documentation, and also to those who have it.

Secondly, that the Government will waive the requirement to carry out a Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK test for British Citizenship.

Thirdly, that the children of the Windrush generation who are in the UK and need to apply for naturalisation will have their fee waived. For those not born in the UK but now living here, provided they joined their parents as children (before the age of 18) they will also be covered by the scheme.

Fourthly, that those who made their lives here but have now retired to their country of origin, are able to come back to the UK, without fees.

Finally, the Prime Minister and Home Secretary have announced that a compensation scheme will be put in place for those who have suffered loss as a result of these difficulties, and that the Government will consult on the design of this scheme – such as the shape it should take, what it should cover, and how long it should be for.

Accordingly, the Home Office have launched a call for evidence addressed to those who have been affected by this situation and their families. This is an opportunity for those people to tell the Government what happened, how it has affected them and what they believe the compensation scheme needs to address.

As a first step the Government have asked Martin Forde QC to provide independent oversight and advise us on the design of the scheme. He will help us to understand the experience of people who have been affected and how this should be reflected in the scheme.

Home Office

Petitions Committee schedule debate on this petition on 30 April 2018

On Monday 30 April 2018 MPs will debate the petition for an “Amnesty for anyone who was a minor that arrived In Britain between 1948 to 1971.”

The debate will start at 4.30pm and will be opened by Steve Double MP, a member of the Petitions Committee. You can watch it live at http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Commons.

Who are the Petitions Committee?

We are a group of cross-party MPs called the Petitions Committee. We are independent from Government. You can find out more about us on our website: http://www.parliament.uk/petitions-committee/role
You can follow us on Twitter: @HoCpetitions

MPs questioned the Government about about the immigration status of the Windrush children on Monday 16 April.

Watch it here: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/618c6ebe-5584-4d5e-bae5-62348bcf96c4?in=15:41:00&out=16:19:06

Read it here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-04-16/debates/7234878F-ACEE-48DD-A94C-9013B38FA465/WindrushChildren(ImmigrationStatus)

MPs debate the situation of the Windrush generation

On Monday 30 April 2018 MPs will debate this petition.

Watch it live from 4.30pm at: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/f29d6e8b-ff66-4e9b-97a6-89dc46a9dbfd

We want to keep you informed about other work in Parliament on this issue.

We previously told you that MPs questioned the Government about the immigration status of the Windrush generation on Monday 16 April.

On Monday 23 April the Government made a statement about the situation of the Windrush generation and answered questions from MPs about it.

Read it here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-04-23/debates/AFC7E55B-9796-4FDA-8BB6-9EBDC7CCDAE2/Windrush

Watch it here: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/d1300e86-2167-4f12-aa26-d1eeee35495b?in=16:33:19

On Wednesday 25 April, a group of MPs called the Home Affairs Select Committee questioned Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, and others about the citizenship issues being experienced by children of the Windrush generation.

Watch it here: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/53f1a255-03fd-4711-8e02-fe17d67e8c20

Read it here: http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/home-affairs-committee/windrush-children/oral/82003.html

MPs debated the petition on the Windrush generation

You recently signed a petition to give amnesty for anyone who was a minor that arrived In Britain between 1948 to 1971.

On Monday 30 April MPs debated this petition.

You can watch it here: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/f29d6e8b-ff66-4e9b-97a6-89dc46a9dbfd

You can read it here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2018-04-30/debates/CEC6AAFF-E02D-41DA-B681-AF9713BE6F82/MinorsEnteringTheUK1948To1971

We'd like to thank those of you who contributed to the debate by telling us your views and experiences. The information you gave us meant that Steve Double MP, the member of the Petitions Committee who opened the debate, could tell MPs and the Government what you thought about the issue.

We want to keep you informed about other work in Parliament on this issue.

On Monday 30 April, MPs also questioned the Government about the Windrush generation in the House of Commons.

You can watch it here: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/450d1e00-73fd-4d1e-8792-df32dc3abb24?in=16:19:17&out=17:30:54

You can read it here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-04-30/debates/E7547DA9-5D22-4EC0-BAB4-8FC71BD2E1F9/Windrush

On Wednesday 2 May, there was another debate on the Windrush generation.

You can watch it here: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/bca2680f-8ba9-4ae5-aecd-abfe1cc5cdc8?in=14:12:09&out=19:17:00

You can read it here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-05-02/debates/2EE1AB97-59E0-4924-AE57-459FA8811E4F/Windrush