---

Asylum: Children

Answer

The UK continues to work closely with the French authorities to ensure eligible children under the Dublin Regulation and section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 are transferred to the UK as soon as possible. Since 10 October we have transferred over 300 children, and as the Home Secretary told Parliament last month, we expect several hundred more children will be brought to the UK in the coming days and weeks. Prior to the camp clearance operation the Government focused on transferring those children with close family links to the UK under the Dublin Regulation and transferred over 80 asylum seeking children from France since the beginning of the year. Since the clearance operation was announced and upon agreement with the French, the Government has worked at pace to process the children who are eligible for transfer to the UK. We continue to work closely with the French to ensure those children who were in the camp at the time of the clearance operation are interviewed to assess their eligibility to be transferred to the UK. We also must ensure that the proper safeguarding, age assessment and security checks are carried out, and that it is in each child’s best interests to come to the UK. All unaccompanied asylum seeking children who have been brought to the UK are entitled to legal advice supported by legal aid. The Home Office is continuously monitoring its response to the migrant situation in France.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

HL3289

Session

2016-17

Related items

Calais
Monday, 24 October 2016
Proceeding contributions
House of Commons

Subjects

Children Asylum EU law France Dublin regulations

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk