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  Nationality and Borders Bill - Clause 39 - Illegal Entry and Similar Offences - Exemptions
  
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  @ MP voted aye to exempt those facing persecution in their own countries, and others in need of international protection, from a new offence of arriving in the UK without a valid entry clearance. 
  
  @ MP voted no not to exempt those facing persecution in their own countries, and others in need of international protection, from a new offence of arriving in the UK without a valid entry clearance. 
  
  The majority of MPs voted not to exempt those facing persecution in their own countries, and others in need of international protection, from a new offence of arriving in the UK without a valid entry clearance. 
  
  MPs were considering the Nationality and Borders Bill.[1][2][3]
  
  The amendment rejected by the majority of MPs in this vote was:
  
  :Amendment proposed: 116, page 39, line 9, at end insertâ
  
  :â(F2) No criminal offence is committed under subsections (B1) to (D1) where a person enters or arrives in the United Kingdom for the purposes of making a claim for asylum or humanitarian protection, if the person is one of the followingâ
  
  :(a) an Afghan national who is a refugee because they face a risk of persecution in Afghanistan;
  
  :(b) a Syrian national who is a refugee because they face a risk of persecution in Syria;
  
  :(c) a Uighur who is a refugee because they face a risk of persecution in China;
  
  :(d) a Christian convert who is a refugee because they face a risk of persecution in their country of nationality; or
  
  :(e) other persons who are in need of international protection; or who are refugees because they are outside of their country of nationality for fear of persecution for a Convention reason as set out in article 1 of the Refugee Convention.â
  
  The rejected amendment was accompanied by the following explanatory statement from its proposer:
  
  :Clause 39 as drafted would involve the criminalisation of the arrival and entry of asylum seekers and refugees with an offence subject to up to four years imprisonment. This amendment would prevent this from happening.
  
  Clause 39 of the Bill[2][3] introduced a new offence of arriving in the UK without a valid entry clearance (there was already an offence of knowingly entering the UK without leave). 
  
  
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  * [1] [https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3023 Parliament's webpage on the  Nationality and Borders Bill], Parliament.uk
  * [2] [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/58-02/0187/210187v1.pdf Nationality and Borders Bill, as amended in Public Bill Committee, 4 November 2021], Parliament.uk
  * [3] [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/58-02/0141/en/210141en.pdf Explanatory notes to the Nationality and Borders Bill, as introduced 6 July 2021], Parliament.uk
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  