Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of her Department's policies on (a) all people seeking asylum and (b) people seeking asylum whose age is disputed who arrived in the UK by irregular means.

The impact of our policies on vulnerable individuals and equalities considerations are at the front and centre of our work. As required through the Public Sector Equality Duty, we consider equality impacts throughout the asylum policy development process, and that includes our policy on age assessment.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders. All policy development is carried out with regard to section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 and in line with our international obligations.