Written question asked by Phil Woolas (Labour) on Thursday, 8 July 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 12 July 2010. It was answered by Damian Green (Conservative) on Tuesday, 13 July 2010 on behalf of the Home Office.

Asylum: Children

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when her Department plans to publish its response to the consultation on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

Answer: The Government last issued a consultation paper regarding unaccompanied asylum seeking children in February 2007: 'Planning Better Outcomes and Support for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children'. A formal response was published in January 2008 entitled 'Better Outcomes: The Way Forward—Improving the Care of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children'.Although not pursuing a formal consultation, the UK Border Agency is in regular and frequent discussion with its partners on improvements to policy and process around dealing with unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. For example, a number of children's charities and refugee groups have recently been asked to review proposed amendments to the Processing an Asylum Application from a Child instruction to reflect changes in policy to remove some unaccompanied children to their country of origin where adequate reception arrangements are in place. In circumstances like this, comments and recommendations from partners will be factored into the revised instruction rather than being the subject of a formal response to consultation.

Secondary information