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784952

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Refugees: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how her Department manages the Dubs scheme for child refugees; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	111663
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2017 answer text <p>In March, the Government published the basis upon which further referrals under section 67 will be made: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/policy-statement-section-67-of-the-immigration-act-2016" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/policy-statement-section-67-of-the-immigration-act-2016</a>. We remain committed to transferring unaccompanied children from Europe under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 up to the specified number of 480. We are working closely with Member States, as well as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and NGO partners to identify and transfer children to the UK in line with each individual Member State’s national laws. If it is determined that transfer to the UK is in the child’s best interests, a referral will be made under the National Transfer Scheme for a placement with a local authority in the UK. Transfers are ongoing.</p><p>However, the primary responsibility for unaccompanied children in France lies with the French government. As I set out in the Backbench Business debate of 2 November, the French authorities have in recent weeks established additional welcome centres to those already in place across the country. Four new centres have recently opened, away from the juxtaposed ports, where those wishing to claim asylum will be supported through the asylum process. There is regular transportation provided to these centres. It is vital that children claim asylum in France; that is the fastest route to safety.</p><p>According to Eurostat data, 63,300 unaccompanied children claimed asylum in the EU in 2016:</p><p><a href="http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/8016696/3-11052017-AP-EN.pdf/30ca2206-0db9-4076-a681-e069a4bc5290" target="_blank">http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/8016696/3-11052017-AP-EN.pdf/30ca2206-0db9-4076-a681-e069a4bc5290</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 111669 question first answered 13/11/2017 17:54:02 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

771564

	registered interest
	date	16/10/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Refugees: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how her Department's policy on unaccompanied child refugees is informed by the principle of putting children's best interests at the centre of all decision-making, as set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	107990
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2017 answer text <p>Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 requires the Home Office to ensure that its immigration, asylum, nationality and customs functions are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are in the United Kingdom.</p><p>This includes ensuring that the best interests of the child must be a primary consideration in every decision taken in respect of them. These arrangements are reflected in the Home Office’s rules, policy and guidance that relate to the handling of decisions made in respect of children.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 25/10/2017 16:11:56 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

783222

	registered interest
	date	03/11/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	British Nationality: Assessments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants (a) took and (b) failed the Life in the UK test in each year since its introduction.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	111389
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2017 answer text <p>This information is published quarterly here:</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data</a></p><p> </p><p>On the tab: Temporary and Permanent Migration Data</p><p> </p><p>In summary:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Calendar Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total Tests Taken</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total Tests Failed</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005</p></td><td><p>7,398</p></td><td><p>2,149</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006</p></td><td><p>155,879</p></td><td><p>50,476</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>308,126</p></td><td><p>93,421</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>248,934</p></td><td><p>70,109</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>198,656</p></td><td><p>50,820</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>183,562</p></td><td><p>48,919</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>179,849</p></td><td><p>41,205</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>151,036</p></td><td><p>22,327</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>152,457</p></td><td><p>35,332</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>165,738</p></td><td><p>64,780</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015</p></td><td><p>174,923</p></td><td><p>68,393</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2016</p></td><td><p>133,490</p></td><td><p>47,312</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2017 *</p></td><td><p>65,946</p></td><td><p>21,563</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>* 2017 up to 30 June in line with published data.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 13/11/2017 17:48:33 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

794591

	registered interest
	date	23/11/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Human Trafficking: Victims
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many confirmed victims of human trafficking have been granted discretionary leave to remain in each of the last three years?
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	115564
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2017 answer text <p>The specific information you have requested is not currently published.</p><p> </p><p>Statistics on the total number of people granted discretionary leave for all reasons can be found online at the following address:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-april-to-june-2017-data-tables" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-april-to-june-2017-data-tables</a></p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 115568 question first answered 27/11/2017 14:33:35 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

772249

	registered interest
	date	17/10/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Refugees: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied migrant children in the UK have been moved to at least two different local authorities since their arrival.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	108253
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2017 answer text <p>The Home Office does not currently publish data on unaccompanied migrant children’s movements between local authorities in its quarterly statistics release.</p><p>The published data on unaccompanied asylum seeking children can be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-april-to-june-2017/how-many-people-do-we-grant-asylum-or-protection-to#unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-children" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-april-to-june-2017/how-many-people-do-we-grant-asylum-or-protection-to#unaccompanied-asylum-seeking-children</a>.</p><p>There are over 4,000 unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC) in local authority care in the UK. The National Transfer Scheme was launched on 1 July 2016 and has been working to ensure a fairer allocation of UASC across the UK. A significant number of local authorities have participated in the scheme and enabled the transfer of children away from local authorities with a disproportionate number of UASC in their care.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 20/10/2017 13:58:04 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

777004

	registered interest
	date	24/10/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Refugees: France
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will ensure that all refugees in France refused transfer to the UK are informed that their application for transfer has been refused.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	109449
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2017 answer text <p>The UK’s international obligations do not extend to considering applications to transfer refugee status made abroad and there is no provision in the Immigration Rules for someone to be given permission to travel to the UK for that purpose.</p><p>Under the terms of the European Agreement on the Transfer of Responsibility for Refugees (EATRR), we consider applications for transfer of refugee status from those who have been lawfully resident in the UK for at least two years, providing the country which recognised the applicant as a refugee has ratified the EATRR.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 30/10/2017 07:15:55 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

778249

	registered interest
	date	26/10/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Refugees: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make a statement on the effectiveness of multi-agency intelligence-sharing to identify the needs of unaccompanied child refugees in Europe.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	109802
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2017 answer text <p>There are currently seven routes through which asylum seeking and refugee children can legally enter the UK. To access the UK resettlement schemes, individuals register with UNHCR. Under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, over 8,500 individuals have been resettled to the UK, around half of whom are children. Our strategy is to resettle the most vulnerable children directly from conflict regions, with their family members, so they do not have to make perilous journeys alone.</p><p>Within the EU, the primary responsibility for unaccompanied children lies with the Member State in which they are present. We work closely with EU partners and organisations such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to identify and transfer children to the UK in line with each individual Member State’s national laws. In 2016, over 900 children were transferred from the Europe to the UK.</p><p>In March, the Government published the basis upon which further referrals under section 67 will be made: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/policy-statement-section-67-of-the-immigration-act-2016" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/policy-statement-section-67-of-the-immigration-act-2016</a>. We have invited referrals of children who meet the eligibility criteria that they were present in Europe before 20 March 2016 and transfer is in their best interests. In deciding which children to refer, Member States have been asked to prioritise those likely to qualify for refugee status and/or the most vulnerable. Vulnerability can be defined by factors which include, but are not limited to, the UNHCR’s <em>Children at Risk </em>factors. It is for Member States to decide which children to refer.</p><p>More broadly, we continue to work with our European partners to manage migration and ensure our collective security. Intelligence exchange between UK law enforcement and Europol is well-established and routine, including on human trafficking. The National Crime Agency also support Europol with seconded staff, including within the European Migrant Smuggling Centre. This cooperation has and continues to assist UK efforts to tackle trafficking in human beings, including children.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 109861 109862 question first answered 31/10/2017 17:16:44 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

772251

	registered interest
	date	17/10/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Refugees: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of closing the refugee camp in Calais on the availability of data on unaccompanied child refugees; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	108251
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2017 answer text <p>The primary responsibility for unaccompanied children in France lies with the French government. Following the closure of the Calais Camp, French authorities transferred all children formerly resident to specialist centres across France. It is vital that children claim asylum in France; that is the fastest route to safety.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have a strong track record of cooperating with France to manage the situation in Calais and to protect our shared border. We supported the humanitarian operation to clear the Calais migrant camp in October 2016, which involved the transfer of more than 750 children to the UK and funding to help provide migrants in Calais – including children – with suitable facilities elsewhere in France. Our law enforcement agencies work closely together to</p><p>tackle smuggling and trafficking. Home Office officials meet with their French colleagues on a regular basis.</p><p> </p><p>According to Eurostat data, 63,300 unaccompanied children claimed asylum in the EU in 2016:</p><p><a href="http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/8016696/3-11052017-AP-EN.pdf/30ca2206-0db9-4076-a681-e069a4bc5290" target="_blank">http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/8016696/3-11052017-AP-EN.pdf/30ca2206-0db9-4076-a681-e069a4bc5290</a></p><p> </p><p>This includes a breakdown of asylum applications by EU Member State.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 20/10/2017 13:58:26 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

778828

	registered interest
	date	27/10/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Refugees: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing more localised administration of the Dubs Scheme based in the regions and constituent parts of the UK.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	110042
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2017 answer text <p>The Home Office works closely with local authorities across Great Britain through regional Strategic Migration Partnerships to ensure all unaccompanied children arriving here receive the care and support they need. We encourage local authorities to offer suitable placements, regardless of the child’s route of arrival.</p><p>The National Transfer Scheme for unaccompanied children is already based on a regional model and was established to promote a fairer distribution of caring responsibilities across the country in a way that protects the best interests of all children.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 01/11/2017 11:24:42 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

790148

	registered interest
	date	15/11/2017
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Asylum: France
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with the French Human Rights Ombudsman on the treatment of unaccompanied minors in France.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	113361
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2017 answer text <p>The UK is working very closely with France and other EU Member States in respect of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Children in France are the responsibility of the French government, and robust safeguarding processes are in place for children to enter into and be supported by the French care system.</p><p>We are not currently working with the French Human Rights Ombudsman but the UK has regular engagement at ministerial and senior official level with the French authorities more broadly. We have a strong track record of cooperating with France to manage the situation in Calais and to protect our shared border. We supported the humanitarian operation to clear the Calais migrant camp in October 2016, which involved the transfer of more than 750 children to the UK and funding to help provide migrants in Calais – including minors – with suitable facilities elsewhere in France.</p><p>In addition to this, our security and law enforcement teams have worked closely together to tackle organised criminal gangs operating in the region wishing to exploit vulnerable children. We welcome the French Government’s recent decision to deploy more police to the region and to continue to provide alternative accommodation for migrants elsewhere in France.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 21/11/2017 17:26:15 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms