Child Refugees: Calais Debate

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Department: Home Office

Child Refugees: Calais

Nick Thomas-Symonds Excerpts
Monday 29th February 2016

(8 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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James Brokenshire Portrait James Brokenshire
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I entirely agree with my hon. Friend. Again, I underline the fact that there are French NGOs operating in the camp to identify unaccompanied children and ensure that claims can be made.

Nick Thomas-Symonds Portrait Nick Thomas-Symonds (Torfaen) (Lab)
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The Minister has said that for unaccompanied children with family connections claiming asylum in France, the process should take two months. How long do the UK Government say the asylum process should take for children with family connections in the United Kingdom, and what practical steps is he going to take to ensure that that is achieved?

James Brokenshire Portrait James Brokenshire
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In respect of asylum processing and deciding whether to uphold claims, we in this country have done a great deal to ensure that claims are properly assessed and that straightforward claims are dealt with within six months. The Government have done a great deal of hard work to introduce that effectiveness into the system, and that has been recognised in the recent independent inspector’s report.