Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of (a) increasing safe routes to the UK for refugees and (b) removing differential treatment, offshore detention, and criminalisation of refugees; and what steps she is taking to ensure that the age assessment process for unaccompanied children seeking asylum retains safeguards and is based on best practice.

The Government is delivering comprehensive reform of the asylum system through the New Plan for Immigration, an essential element of which is the Nationality and Borders Bill.

The plan gives the Government the flexibility to respond at pace to conflict and humanitarian crises around the world, by establishing safe and legal routes to the UK.

Most recently, this Government has made its support for Ukrainians fleeing in fear of their lives clear, introducing two new schemes: the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

Further details can be found at: Home Secretary statement on humanitarian support for Ukrainians - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

We must, at the same time, take steps to disincentivise people from using unsafe, unnecessary and illegal journeys to the UK. The ability to differentiate entitlements between those refugees who came directly to the UK, claimed asylum without delay and where applicable, showed good cause for their illegal entry or presence, and those who did not, is a key part of this deterrence. So too, is overseas asylum processing. To be clear, this is not offshore detention and we would not transfer anyone overseas for their claim to be processed where to do so would breach the UK’s obligations under the Refugee Convention or ECHR.

We must also tackle the criminal gangs who facilitate illegal migration and ensure we have a robust criminal justice response to those who break our laws. We are therefore strengthening the law, to introduce life sentences for people smugglers and stronger penalties for those who come here illegally. It should however be noted that prosecutors will always consider whether it is in the public interest to initiate a prosecution and that they may wait to see if someone is recognised as a refugee before making that decision.

The introduction of the National Age Assessment Board offers the potential for significant improvements to our processes for assessing age. It will create greater consistency in age assessment practices, improve quality and ensure that ages are correctly recorded for immigration purposes. It will help reduce the resource burden on local authorities. And it will help better protect against adults being treated as children – ensuring vulnerable children can swiftly access the support they need.