Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to ensure that staff of her Department alleviate distress suffered by families who are subject to questioning at border control because the children have different surnames to their parents.

Border Force has a duty under section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and
Immigration Act 2009 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. All
Border Force officers undergo mandatory training and have guidance to enable
them to fulfil this important duty in an appropriate manner. Checks are
conducted on passengers arriving in the UK in accordance with the Border Force
Operating Mandate.

Where a child is encountered at the border, and it is not immediately apparent
that the accompanying adult is their parent or guardian, Border Force officers
will ask questions to satisfy themselves as to the child’s welfare and to
discharge their statutory duty. This will be done as quickly and as sensitively
as possible to avoid unnecessary delay and distress to the passenger and their
accompanying family.