Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Bryant Excerpts
Monday 6th February 2012

(12 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Damian Green Portrait Damian Green
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Let me explain to my hon. Friend how I arrived at those figures. They are not my figures; they are figures from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, a body that is specifically involved in the protection of children. It said that, in 2007, 55% of such children went missing from care. That was an appalling figure, but it has most recently come down to 18%. I agree with my hon. Friend that that is still far too high, but he can see that local authorities are making considerable progress. In that respect, I particularly commend Hillingdon council, which is one of the most experienced councils in this regard, as it covers Heathrow. In 2009, 12% of unaccompanied children were going missing from its care; it has now reduced that number to 4%.

Chris Bryant Portrait Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab)
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Tackling human trafficking undoubtedly requires strong international organisations and, in some cases, an international power of arrest to apprehend these criminals. Will the Minister answer a very simple question? Will he guarantee that he, unlike many of his party’s Back-Bench Members who have called for it, will not withdraw from the European arrest warrant—yes or no?

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Baroness May of Maidenhead Portrait Mrs May
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Well, really, I have to say to the right hon. Gentleman that he knows full well there is no direct link—there is no simple link—between crime and—

Chris Bryant Portrait Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab)
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Ooh, you slipped up there didn’t you?

Baroness May of Maidenhead Portrait Mrs May
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The Immigration Minister is getting very excited.