Refugees: Children

(asked on 26th October 2017) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to broaden the criteria for vulnerability under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.


Answered by
Brandon Lewis Portrait
Brandon Lewis
This question was answered on 31st October 2017

There are currently seven routes through which asylum seeking and refugee children can legally enter the UK. To access the UK resettlement schemes, individuals register with UNHCR. Under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, over 8,500 individuals have been resettled to the UK, around half of whom are children. Our strategy is to resettle the most vulnerable children directly from conflict regions, with their family members, so they do not have to make perilous journeys alone.

Within the EU, the primary responsibility for unaccompanied children lies with the Member State in which they are present. We work closely with EU partners and organisations such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to identify and transfer children to the UK in line with each individual Member State’s national laws. In 2016, over 900 children were transferred from the Europe to the UK.

In March, the Government published the basis upon which further referrals under section 67 will be made: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/policy-statement-section-67-of-the-immigration-act-2016. We have invited referrals of children who meet the eligibility criteria that they were present in Europe before 20 March 2016 and transfer is in their best interests. In deciding which children to refer, Member States have been asked to prioritise those likely to qualify for refugee status and/or the most vulnerable. Vulnerability can be defined by factors which include, but are not limited to, the UNHCR’s Children at Risk factors. It is for Member States to decide which children to refer.

More broadly, we continue to work with our European partners to manage migration and ensure our collective security. Intelligence exchange between UK law enforcement and Europol is well-established and routine, including on human trafficking. The National Crime Agency also support Europol with seconded staff, including within the European Migrant Smuggling Centre. This cooperation has and continues to assist UK efforts to tackle trafficking in human beings, including children.

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