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Written question asked by Bishop of Sheffield (Bishops (affiliation)) on Monday, 6 July 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 20 July 2026. It was answered by Lord Hanson of Flint (Labour) on Monday, 20 July 2026 on behalf of the Home Office.

Asylum: Children

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the safeguards in place to prevent the immigration detention of unaccompanied children for over 24 hours.

Answer

The Government takes its safeguarding responsibilities towards children extremely seriously.

Unaccompanied children may only be detained in very limited and exceptional circumstances, and the law places strict constraints on that detention. They may not be held in an Immigration Removal Centre under any circumstances. They must be transferred into appropriate local authority care arrangements wherever possible. An unaccompanied child may only be held in a short-term holding facility for a maximum of 24 hours for the purpose of removal.

A range of safeguards are in place to minimise detention and protect child welfare. These include the requirement to prioritise cases involving children, early referral to and engagement with local authority children’s services, a statutory duty under section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 to have regard to the need to safeguard and promote children’s welfare, and a requirement that detention is for the shortest time necessary. Decisions involving children are subject to oversight and operational guidance that is subject to ongoing review and updates to ensure the welfare and best interests of children remain a primary consideration.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL1698
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Children Asylum Detainees Immigration controls
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk