UK Borders Bill

During a meeting two weeks ago with the Director of Public Prosecutions about trafficking, an example was given by an NGO of a young woman who had been trafficked as a child, had escaped from her traffickers as an adult and had been found at Kings Cross station with inadequate papers. I cannot remember the details and do not have my notes with me, but she was given a prison sentence of some months because she did not have adequate papers. Perhaps the noble Lord, Lord Avebury, will recall the case. I would be grateful if the Minister could write to me to reassure me that there are measures to ensure that mitigating circumstances are taken fully into account in proceedings against individuals with inadequate papers. Although that was only one case, there was general concern that the measures that have understandably been taken to toughen up the immigration system were not being balanced against the consideration of cases involving people with particular vulnerabilities. In our discussions on reporting restrictions for young people the Minister expressed his concern that young people are disappearing from care. That relates to the concern raised by the noble Lord, Lord Hylton. Was the Minister thinking of distinguishing in the reporting restrictions between children held under Section 17 of the Children Act and those who have full-care status? I do not think that we explored that nuance and it would be interesting to have some information on it.