Illegal Migration Bill

Baroness Mobarik Excerpts

Report stage
Monday 3rd July 2023 Lords Chamber

Moved by

[Baroness Mobarik]

51: Clause 10, page 15, leave out lines 10 to 35 and insert—
“(2D) Detention under sub-paragraph (2C) is to be treated as detention under paragraph 16(2) for the purposes of the limitations in paragraph 18B (limitation on detention of unaccompanied children).””Member's explanatory statement
This amendment, with others to Clause 10 in the name of Baroness Mobarik, would retain existing limits on the detention of unaccompanied children (24 hours).

[Baroness Mobarik (Con)]

My Lords, Amendment 51 in my name seeks to retain existing statutory time limits for the detention of unaccompanied children put in place by a Conservative Government. I am grateful for the significant support from these Benches and across the House during last Wednesday’s debate. Although we have received some verbal reassurances throughout the passage of the Bill, the Government have yet to put in place the necessary safeguards in time limits to protect children from the harms of detention under the Bill. Therefore, I have no alternative but to test the opinion of the House. I beg to move.

[The Deputy Speaker (Lord Haskel) (Lab)]

My Lords, if Amendment 51 is agreed to, I cannot call Amendments 52 to 54 because of pre-emption.

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Moved by

[Baroness Mobarik]

57: Clause 10, page 15, line 38, leave out subsection (4)
Member’s explanatory statement
This amendment would retain existing limits on the detention of children (72 hours or one week with ministerial approval).

[Baroness Mobarik (Con)]

My Lords, I have thought long and hard about calling another Division from these Benches, this time on retaining our current statutory time limits on detention of accompanied children or children who are with their families. These children are likely to be much younger. The psychological harms of detention on young children are significant and likely to impact them for the rest of their lives. For that very reason, I ask that we retain the statutory time limits put in place by a Conservative Government. I wish to test the opinion of the House. I beg to move.

--- Later in debate ---

Moved by

[Baroness Mobarik]

59: Clause 10, page 16, line 44, leave out from beginning to end of line 20 on page 17 and insert—
“(2B) Detention under subsection (2A) is to be treated as detention under paragraph 16(2) of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 for the purposes of the limitations in paragraph 18B of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 (limitation on detention of unaccompanied children).””Member's explanatory statement
This amendment, with others to Clause 10 in the name of Baroness Mobarik, would retain existing limits on the detention of unaccompanied children (24 hours).

--- Later in debate ---

Moved by

[Baroness Mobarik]

63: Clause 10, page 17, line 23, leave out subsection (8)
Member's explanatory statement
This amendment, with others to Clause 10 in the name of Baroness Mobarik, would retain existing limits on the detention of unaccompanied children (24 hours).