Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Alan Brown Excerpts
Monday 11th April 2016

(8 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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James Brokenshire Portrait James Brokenshire
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We have had discussions with the Department for Education and the Local Government Association about the voluntary dispersal arrangements we want to see, underpinned by the Immigration Bill currently in the other place. We are continuing the dialogue on precisely how elements of that are implemented and on how we can learn from the expertise of authorities that have had greater involvement in these matters.

Alan Brown Portrait Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)
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24. During the recess, Scottish National party MPs visited the Calais and Dunkirk refugee camps and witnessed unaccompanied children being forced to share bed space with unrelated adults. That is clearly a troubling and serious matter. Does the Minister think the Government are doing enough to support those children? Surely it is time to step up to the plate and do more.

James Brokenshire Portrait James Brokenshire
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We are working closely with the French Government. As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Refugees said in answer to a previous question, we have had a secondee working in the Ministry of the Interior in France to speed up the process in relation to children identified as having links to family here in the UK. Equally, the French Government are putting greater support in through a charity to raise awareness and identify children better to give them the help they require.