The following shall be inserted after section 26 of the Immigration Act 1971 (general offences)—
(1)In this section “registration card” means a document which—
(a)carries information about a person (whether or not wholly or partly electronically), and
(b)is issued by the Secretary of State to the person wholly or partly in connection with a claim for asylum (whether or not made by that person).
(2)In subsection (1) “claim for asylum” has the meaning given by section 18 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.
(3)A person commits an offence if he—
(a)makes a false registration card,
(b)alters a registration card with intent to deceive or to enable another to deceive,
(c)has a false or altered registration card in his possession without reasonable excuse,
(d)uses or attempts to use a false registration card for a purpose for which a registration card is issued,
(e)uses or attempts to use an altered registration card with intent to deceive,
(f)makes an article designed to be used in making a false registration card,
(g)makes an article designed to be used in altering a registration card with intent to deceive or to enable another to deceive, or
(h)has an article within paragraph (f) or (g) in his possession without reasonable excuse.
(4)In subsection (3) “false registration card” means a document which is designed to appear to be a registration card.
(5)A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (3)(a), (b), (d), (e), (f) or (g) shall be liable—
(a)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years, to a fine or to both, or
(b)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.
(6)A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (3)(c) or (h) shall be liable—
(a)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, to a fine or to both, or
(b)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.
(7)The Secretary of State may by order—
(a)amend the definition of “registration card” in subsection (1);
(b)make consequential amendment of this section.
(8)An order under subsection (7)—
(a)must be made by statutory instrument, and
(b)may not be made unless a draft has been laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.”