The Government has confirmed that the specified number under section 67(1) of the Immigration Act 2016 will not include cases transferred to the UK under the Dublin III Regulation.

There are no current plans for a charter flight returns operation to Iraq.

Whilst we can provide data on the current addresses of asylum claimants, data on the place of residence at the time of initial decision could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Data on asylum claim outcomes for the whole of the UK can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2016/list-of-tables#asylum

We are doing our utmost to provide assistance to all those in need in the region. The UK has now allocated £2.3 billion since 2012 to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable people in Syria and of refugees in the region making it one of the largest donors. Since summer 2014, we have committed £169.5 million in humanitarian assistance to help those affected by Daesh in Iraq.

In addition, the UK operates four resettlement schemes (Gateway, Mandate, the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement (VPR) Scheme and the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme (VCRS), working closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on each to identify those most in need of resettlement, prioritising the most vulnerable.

The UK works according to the humanitarian principles of impartiality and neutrality which means that we do not take into consideration the ethno-religious origins of people requiring assistance as we assist solely on the basis of needs, identified by UNHCR.

All asylum claims lodged in the UK, including claims based on religious persecution, are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention. Those who demonstrate a well founded fear on return to their country are normally granted protection.

The Home Office is committed to protecting the rights of all asylum seekers and providing those who are destitute with safe, secure accommodation. There is a rigorous contract compliance regime in place to ensure that the required performance standards are met; this includes regular inspections. Clearsprings Ready Homes is required to inspect all of their properties each month and the Home Office inspects over a third of the property portfolio each year. Where property does not meet the required standards there are strict time limits on resolving the defects; failure to meet those time limits can result in service credits being applied.

Clearsprings Ready Homes deliver services in London and the South of England Region and Wales. The Home Office publishes quarterly figures on the number of asylum seekers housed in dispersed accommodation, including under Section 95, by region in the Immigration Statistics release, in table as_16q and 17q in volume 4 of the Asylum data tables. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2016/list-of-tables#asylum

Unaccompanied asylum seeking children are entitled to the same rights as other looked-after children and young people, including access to National Health Service mental health services. Care of unaccompanied and trafficked children - Statutory guidance for local authorities on the care of unaccompanied asylum seeking and trafficked children. July 2014 states that needs-assessment must be made with reference to the child’s specific needs as an unaccompanied or trafficked child, including ascertaining any particular psychological or emotional impact of experiences as an unaccompanied or trafficked child. As for any looked after child, a health plan should be produced as part of their overall care plan, including detail of how these psychological issues will be addressed.

The Department for Education does not collect figures for the number of young people in English local authorities under these arrangements. Individual local authorities will hold this information on the assessment and placement of these young people.

The Department for Education only holds the information for England. The devolved administrations hold the information for the other constituent countries.

The Department for Education does not collect figures for the number of young people in English local authorities under these arrangements. Individual local authorities will hold this information on the assessment and placement of these young people.

The Department for Education only holds the information for England. The devolved administrations hold the information for the other constituent countries.

The Government takes its responsibilities towards children extremely seriously and works with Local Authorities to ensure all necessary checks are undertaken to ensure any child’s safety, including those children who are transferred to the UK under the Dublin III Regulation. It is for the local authority to determine what assessments to undertake based on the circumstances of individual children and families, the Home Office does not hold data on the number of children that were transferred to the UK under the Dublin Regulation who have been assessed under section 17 of the Children Act 1989.

We are in ongoing dialogue with the French authorities regarding the incident at the Dunkirk camp. The primary responsibility for unaccompanied children in Europe lies with the State in which they are present. We are committed to making sure that the Dublin III Regulation works effectively to ensure that unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are reunited as soon as possible with any close family members in the UK, as set out in the Regulation.

Under the Dublin III Regulation, an unaccompanied child must first claim asylum in the EU Member State in which they are present, and that Member State must then raise a take charge request with the UK Government. It is therefore vital that children remaining in France who have close family in the UK engage with the French authorities to make an asylum claim and enable the process to start.

The information requested is readily available in the public domain. The latest figures are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2016/list-of-tables#asylum

The suite of six COMPASS Contracts provides accommodation, transport and related services to asylum seekers. There are three providers who each deliver two regional contracts: G4S Care and Justice (UK) Ltd, Serco Ltd and Clearsprings Ready Homes Ltd. A published copy of these contracts can be accessed at:

https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive/contract/503107/

Annual Figures on the number of claims for asylum from Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC), including by country of nationality, are published quarterly by the Home Office in the Immigration Statistics release. A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics to December 2016, is available from:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2016/asylum

A breakdown of these figures by region, city and immigration status is not available.

The Government is committed to ensuring that there is a more equitable distribution of UASC across the country and that no one authority has to care for more UASC than they are able to, including those transferred to the UK under Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016. That is why we introduced the voluntary National Transfer Scheme and have consulted with every region in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on their capacity. Every region in England is participating in the National Transfer Scheme and we are working closely with the Devolved Administrations to ensure they are able to accept cases under the National Transfer Scheme. We are very grateful for the way in which local authorities have stepped up to accept UASC under the National Transfer Scheme. We will continue to work closely with local authorities to take up offers of placements to help ease the burden on those local authorities caring for a disproportionate number of UASC.

Annual Figures on the number of claims for asylum from Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC), including by country of nationality, are published quarterly by the Home Office in the Immigration Statistics release. A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics to December 2016, is available from:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2016/asylum

A breakdown of these figures by region, city and immigration status is not available.

The Government is committed to ensuring that there is a more equitable distribution of UASC across the country and that no one authority has to care for more UASC than they are able to, including those transferred to the UK under Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016. That is why we introduced the voluntary National Transfer Scheme and have consulted with every region in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on their capacity. Every region in England is participating in the National Transfer Scheme and we are working closely with the Devolved Administrations to ensure they are able to accept cases under the National Transfer Scheme. We are very grateful for the way in which local authorities have stepped up to accept UASC under the National Transfer Scheme. We will continue to work closely with local authorities to take up offers of placements to help ease the burden on those local authorities caring for a disproportionate number of UASC.

Annual Figures on the number of claims for asylum from Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC), including by country of nationality, are published quarterly by the Home Office in the Immigration Statistics release. A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics to December 2016, is available from:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2016/asylum

A breakdown of these figures by region, city and immigration status is not available.

The Government is committed to ensuring that there is a more equitable distribution of UASC across the country and that no one authority has to care for more UASC than they are able to, including those transferred to the UK under Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016. That is why we introduced the voluntary National Transfer Scheme and have consulted with every region in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on their capacity. Every region in England is participating in the National Transfer Scheme and we are working closely with the Devolved Administrations to ensure they are able to accept cases under the National Transfer Scheme. We are very grateful for the way in which local authorities have stepped up to accept UASC under the National Transfer Scheme. We will continue to work closely with local authorities to take up offers of placements to help ease the burden on those local authorities caring for a disproportionate number of UASC.

All members of staff who make decisions in asylum receive training on international and domestic law and safeguarding issues supplemented by a mentoring programme with an experienced caseworker that can last up to 6 months. Within the training there are specific sections that detail torture and Medico Legal Reports and how they should be used and analysed in asylum claims.

The Home Office are working closely with Freedom from Torture and other key partners to review and make further improvements to the decision making process and training relating to asylum claims involving survivors of abuse and torture.

The Home Office notify the relevant local authority of the arrival of any unaccompanied asylum seeking child in the UK so that they can consider the best course of action and necessary support for that specific child.

If at any stage of the asylum process, Home Office staff have welfare or safeguarding concerns about a child, including concerns about their mental health, they immediately refer the child to the local authority children’s service to consider the best course of action.

The Home Office publishes the number of initial decisions on asylum applications from Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, in each quarter by nationality, in table as_09_q of the Immigration Statistics release. The latest figures are available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/593029/asylum3-q4-2016-tables.ods