Children: Refugees Debate

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Department: Home Office

Children: Refugees

Baroness Butler-Sloss Excerpts
Wednesday 13th September 2017

(6 years, 7 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait Baroness Williams of Trafford
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My Lords, first, I say to the noble Lord that we continue to work with our partners in Europe under the scheme to transfer children where we can. However, as he will know and as I have said to the House before, we cannot just go into countries and take children. It might be helpful to explain the broader context in which we operate. In 2016 the UK settled more refugees from outside Europe than any other EU state. According to Eurostat figures, over a third of people resettled in the EU came to the UK. We have granted asylum or another form of leave to over 9,000 children in the past year—over 42,000 since 2010.

Baroness Butler-Sloss Portrait Baroness Butler-Sloss (CB)
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My Lords, what are the Government doing about children who have a right under the Dublin III agreement, particularly in the Calais and Dunkirk areas?

Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait Baroness Williams of Trafford
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My Lords, we continue to work with the French Government to ensure that those children are also transferred.