Unaccompanied Migrant Children

Debate between Lord Touhig and Lord Hanson of Flint

Wednesday 30th October 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Touhig]

To ask His Majesty’s Government how many unaccompanied migrant children are being accommodated in hotels.

[The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Hanson of Flint) (Lab)]

All seven of the Home Office-run hotels for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are now closed. Six closed in November 2023 and the final one closed in January 2024. We are committed to working closely with local authorities across the United Kingdom. They have statutory duties towards these young people. The Home Office will continue to consider the welfare of unaccompanied children throughout our processes.

[Lord Touhig (Lab)]

I tell my noble friend that that is the most welcome Answer I have received from a Minister at that Dispatch Box in the 14 years I have served in your Lordships’ House. These places are closed—good—because 440 unaccompanied migrant children placed in these hotels went missing, and almost 100 have still not been found. A report from University College London and ECPAT UK suggests that it is likely that many have been kidnapped by criminal gangs. I have two questions for my noble friend. First, what is being done to find these missing children? Secondly, will His Majesty’s Government consider holding an inquiry into the scandal? Frankly, putting unaccompanied children, some as young as 12, into hotels without proper care and supervision is an affront to their human rights and a stain on the good name of Britain.

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

I am grateful to my noble friend. I remind him that the hotels were closed because of legal challenges to force the previous Government to close them. There were 472 episodes of children going missing, from 464 young people in practice. My noble friend mentioned 100 children. I can report to the House that 90 individuals are still missing, of whom seven have a claimed age of under 18. Through the good efforts of the police and local authorities, we have found 382 young people as of 26 September. The responsibility for finding those missing young people lies with police, and the Home Office will co-operate with them and local authorities accordingly. My noble friend mentioned an inquiry. I hear what he says, but the Home Office’s key focus is on continuing to work with the police to support efforts to locate missing individuals.