Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that children outside of formal camps in Greece and Italy are assessed for relocation to the UK under the Dublin Regulation and Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.

We have seconded an expert to Greece to support these efforts, and are working in conjunction with the Greek authorities, UNHCR and NGOs to identify children whose best interests may be served by a transfer to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act, pending the publication of the basis on which the transfers will be made.

In Italy, our long-standing secondee is also working closely with the Italian authorities. Our secondees are also working to support the timely and efficient operation of the Dublin Regulation, in order to ensure that children with close family in the UK can be reunited. Furthermore, the UK has established a £10 million Refugee Children’s Fund to support the needs of vulnerable refugee and migrant children arriving in Europe.