Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sufficiency of the legal aid budget for legal representation for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

The Government is committed to the protection of vulnerable children, especially in cases where children lack adequate parental support.

Legal aid remains available for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children for both legal help with interviews and legal representation during the asylum appeals process, subject to a means and merits assessment. The majority of unaccompanied refugee children applying for permission to remain in the UK will be seeking asylum, and legal aid will therefore be available.