Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they define the "best interests of the child" under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Consistent with Article 3 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, we define the “best interests of the child” as those factors which contribute to a child’s well-being and which are to be considered in light of the evidence as a primary consideration alongside other factors in making immigration decisions and carrying out immigration functions.

These include, but are not limited to, taking account of the child’s health, age and maturity, and the child’s family and social relationships. We remain committed to giving due consideration to the Articles in the Convention when developing policy and legislation.