Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Government's press release, Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children to be resettled from Europe, published on 4 May 2016, what the timetable is for implementation of that commitment.

As announced by the Prime Minister on 4 May and now reflected in the Immigration Act 2016, we will work to admit unaccompanied refugee children to the UK from elsewhere in the EU, where this is considered to be in the child’s best interests. The very nature of this legislation means we must take the time to consult others before bringing final proposals on how to implement.

We will work closely with local authorities to implement this initiative. It is important that we ensure we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in UK, as well ensuring we have the right support for those who may be brought to the UK from Europe. We will also consult relevant Non-Governmental Organisations, the UNHCR, UNICEF and Member States.

Work has already begun and we are committed to act as quickly as we can but it is important we take the necessary time to ensure we have the capacity to resettle and support those who are resettled. We must also ensure that we fulfil our obligations to children who are already in the UK.