Immigration: Detention of Children

Lord Avebury Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd June 2010 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Neville-Jones]

The noble Baroness makes an important point. All I can say at the present stage is that in the guidelines that we agree consideration should be given to cases of this kind in which an individual problem needs extra help.

[Lord Avebury]

My Lords—

[Noble Lords]

It is the turn of the Bishops.

[Baroness Neville-Jones]

That is the formal case. However, in current circumstances, the average time for which children are being detained is only about 11 days. We are trying to bring that figure down. I pay tribute to the previous Government who did great work in bringing the timescale of these detentions down. I entirely agree that it is a problem. We are trying to make the system as humane as possible.

[Lord Avebury]

My Lords, perhaps I may ask my noble friend about the consultations which on 12 May Mr Damian Green said had already started. Stakeholders, such as the Children’s Society, do not seem to be aware of that. Is it the intention to complete the consultation in six weeks, as we have heard? Will that be in time for them to incorporate any necessary amendments to the Secretary of State’s powers to look after these children under alternative arrangements in the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act which will come before your Lordships?

[Baroness Neville-Jones]

My Lords, I will look into that point. I cannot give the noble Lord a definitive answer. All I can say is that we intend to proceed with this really fast. This review will not take very long. I hope that that timescale can be met.