Courts rule Home Office charges unlawful: Lib Dem response

The Court of Appeal has ruled that the £1,012 fee charged by the Home Office for registering a child as a British citizen is unlawful.  Alistair Carmichael MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Home Affairs, urged the fees to be reduced immediately: “It’s shameful that children are being denied their rights by these outrageous, extortionate Home Office fees. The Government should immediately reduce these fees to no more than the cost of administration.   “I’ve almost lost count of the number of times this Conservative Government’s policies have been found to be unlawful. These cases highlight why it’s so important that individuals can hold governments to account through the courts using judicial review.   “Instead of wasting taxpayers’ money defending her bad decisions in the courts, Priti Patel should get on with fixing our immigration system so that everyone is treated with dignity and the public can have confidence that it is fair and effective.”