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Home Office

Answer

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the time limit for further representations following interviews in the case of unaccompanied child asylum applicants. [78597] Mr. Mike O'Brien: Children are an extremely vulnerable group and therefore, unaccompanied children will not normally be interviewed about the substance of their claim if it is possible to obtain sufficient information to decide the claim from written representations or other sources. In the event that an interview was necessary in a particular case, normal time limits would apply, but as in all other cases an extension would normally be granted if there was a good reason for the delay, and full account would be taken of the applicant's vulnerability. Obviously, any undue delay in deciding an application once the circumstances are known would not be in the child's interest.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

78597; 328 c547-8W

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Children Asylum Applications Administrative delays Interviews Refugees