Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill

I should like to speak to Amendment No. 7 in this group, which has already been referred to in the introductory remarks of the noble Baroness, Lady Anelay. I had not intended to speak on this matter until I received a briefing from the Refugee Children’s Consortium and noted that among the organisations concerned was Save the Children—an organisation with which I have been connected for a long time. It seemed to me that what was said in the briefing was very important. Like the noble Baroness, Lady Anelay, I welcome the statement clearly setting out that it is accepted that the category of minors reaching the age of 18 will be regarded as exempt. I am very grateful for that. On the other hand, the view of the consortium, with which I am inclined to agree, is that children’s rights are too important to be left to ministerial discretion and affirmative orders. The consortium thinks that the assurances do not enable Parliament to scrutinise the ambit of children’s appeal rights which may be provided during the passage of the Bill. It therefore thinks that it is important that the position of children is made absolutely clear in the Bill. In its briefing the consortium attaches some horrendous reports of cases where unaccompanied children have suffered grievously. In particular, a child of 17 was trafficked to the United Kingdom after being sold to the trafficker by her father. She managed to escape and tried to claim asylum. Her application was refused and she was granted discretionary leave for one year only. She applied to extend this leave but had no response. She was eventually evicted from her room and started to sleep rough. Last week, she was spotted near a soup kitchen by one of the gang of traffickers from whom she escaped and was abducted again. That no doubt is an extreme case. On the other hand, it shows that there are problems with unaccompanied children and that it should be clear in the Bill that it is the Government’s intention to ensure that there are exemptions.