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UK Borders Bill

I am grateful for that. Ambition for accuracy is a good thing in Ministers. The Minister’s central point was about striking a balance between the protection of children and the protection of the interests of the Executive, which should not be tied down with judicial reviews. I found his argument on that point beguiling, but it was not convincing, because the Government have had a long time to think about the subject. They have known what the refugee children’s organisations and others think about the issue for a long time. It is not wholly convincing for the Government to come before the House on Report, after a long Committee stage, and say, ““We’re looking into the matter, and we may bring forward appropriate measures, but not those supported by both main Opposition parties and the organisations concerned. We’ll come up with better measures during the later stages of the Bill.”” The Government have had a long time to consider the issue, and they have not yet found any other measures. I would hate to miss this opportunity to register the point that underlies all our discussions, which is that the current arrangements are not satisfactory. Indeed, what the Minister said this afternoon made it clear that he does not think that they are satisfactory either, and is looking for better ways to protect the rights of refugee children. If he cannot come up with concrete proposals at our final opportunity to discuss the Bill before it proceeds to another place, it is for other parties to submit such proposals to protect those children. That is what we have done, and we commend our proposals to the House.