Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of children held longer than the time limit for detention.

We take the welfare of children incredibly seriously and that is why we have said it is not compassionate to allow people - including vulnerable children - to be risking their lives any longer. We have to break the cycle and stop the boats.

The Home Office have put in place further funding throughout 2023-24 of £6,000 for every unaccompanied child moved from a UASC hotel to a local authority within five working days to encourage quicker transfers into local authority care.