Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the protection of minors applying for indefinite leave to remain on the settlement protection route whilst their applications are decided.

UK Visas and Immigration has taken significant steps to enhance support and protection for minors who apply for indefinite leave to remain. Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 requires the Home Office to carry out its existing functions in a way that takes into account the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the UK.

As part of its commitment to Section 55, all UK Visas and Immigration employees have received training in order to assist them to identify potential vulnerable minors during the consideration of indefinite leave to remain applications.

UK Visas and Immigration has also implemented a vulnerable minor, and adult, policy along with a National Referral Mechanism for potential victims of human trafficking, a web link to the internal guidance is below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/victims-of-trafficking-guidance-for-competent-bodies