UK Borders Bill

I intervene very briefly, as time is not on our side. There is an opportunity here for a reversal of the policy that has been carried on to date. In meeting after meeting, we have discussed the regulations regarding immigration and have contrasted them with the rights of the child in various guises. Although, to some extent, I can understand why, the reply is always, even in relation to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, that the protocol might interfere with our own immigration regulations. It is always the immigration regulations that win. Many of the amendments have something to do with children. The noble Lord, Lord Judd, who has just spoken, mentioned the paramount need to put children right at the centre of this legislation. This is an opportunity for the Government, who have a new Prime Minister and new Ministers, to take the step and say that the preference must always be for children. We need immigration controls to a certain extent—of course we do—although I am not sure how they would have affected the terrorist efforts of the past two or three days. I do not know how those could have been controlled by any legislation centring on immigration. I have a fair deal to do with the orphans of parents with AIDS in Africa, where thousands of children are born into hopelessness. This is an opportunity for the Government. The noble Earl, Lord Listowel, said earlier that there was a move, with Section 9 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004, to ameliorate some of the harm that it is admitted has been caused by that Act. I am sure that the subject will arise in this Committee again as we go on to discuss various clauses and amendments. Could we not ask the Government to take a different approach and put the rights of children first? We might need to tweak the immigration controls around them, but let us tell the world that we want to build a world that is fit for children to live in and that this is our contribution. The noble Lord, Lord Judd, referred to a champion for children. There is one, I am told, but we can be the champions for children in legislation. This is a plea to take that into account when considering the amendments that we are discussing now, of which I prefer the Liberal Democrat amendment. Why do I say that?