HOME OFFICE News
Release (113/2007) issued by The Government News Network on 25 June 2007
The Border and
Immigration Agency's commitment to keeping children safe from
harm was reinforced today with the announcement of an overhaul of
the Agency's policies concerning children by Immigration
Minister Liam Byrne.
A new amendment to the UK Borders Bill will for the first time
place a legal obligation on the Border and Immigration Agency to
keep children safe from harm. The Agency will have a duty to have
regard to a new statutory Code of Practice when dealing with
children as it carries out its immigration functions.
The amendment came as part of a package of measures including a
pilot to explore alternatives to detention of children result of a
review of section 4 and the use of section 9, a review of family
removals, and the launch of the Agency's framework of
principles to keep children safe from harm.
Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said:
"When we keep our borders safe we can't forget the need
to treat, often vulnerable children, with care and respect.
Working to keep children safe is not new to our Agency. The steps
we are announcing today - particularly making provision in the UK
Borders Bill to place the Border and Immigration Agency's
responsibilities on a statutory footing - are a big step forward
and I pay tribute to campaigning organisations who have helped us
get our policy right.
Our commitments in the UK Action Plan on Tackling Human
Trafficking and our consideration of the particular needs of
unaccompanied children who claim asylum demonstrate this. The Code
of Practice will underpin this commitment and provide a robust and
transparent basis for helping to keep children safe."
DfES Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said:
"Keeping children and young people safe is a top priority,
and must be a shared responsibility. I very much welcome
today's statement by Liam Byrne and the Border and
Immigration Agency and I am particularly pleased that the Agency
is seeking to place its responsibilities to keep children safe
from harm on a statutory footing.
I also welcome the Agency's commitment, in its framework of
principles, to working in partnership with statutory safeguarding
agencies and Government departments to ensure that every
child's safety matters, regardless of their individual circumstances."
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The amendment to the UK Borders Bill is part of wider package
of measures that includes:
* Border and Immigration Agency 'Child Safety Strategy'
- including its framework of principles to keep children safe,
consensus reached on the UASC consultation, and forthcoming
consultations on section 4 regulations;
* 'Family Removals Review' executive summary,
recommendations, and key milestones;
* section 9 report and WMS explaining section 9 will be retained
on the statute books; and
* details of a supported accommodation pilot, run in conjunction
with Migrant Helpline, for families awaiting removal.
2. Documents relating to the Border and Immigration Agency's
'Child Safety Strategy' are available at http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/.
3. UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking is available a http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/human-traffick-action-plan
4. The Border and Immigration Agency Business Plan, which gives
more information on how we are delivering an immigration system
fit for the 21st Century, is available at: http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/reports/