To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (a) how many and (b) which local authorities offered no spaces for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children under the Dubs amendment.
Answered on
21 February 2017
On 8 September, I wrote to all local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland asking them to confirm how many places they could offer to accommodate unaccompanied asylum seeking children. This is a voluntary scheme whereby local authorities sign up to accept unaccompanied asylum seeking children. We ask local authorities to consider carefully whether they have the infrastructure and support networks needed to ensure the appropriate care of these unaccompanied children before participating in the National Transfer Scheme.
Local authorities reported they have capacity for an additional 400 unaccompanied asylum seeking children. This is in addition to the unaccompanied children already in local authority care. We estimate that at least 50 of the family reunion cases will require a local authority placement in circumstances where the reunion does not work out.
We estimate that at least 50 of the family reunion cases transferred from France as part of the Calais clearance will require a local authority placement in cases where the family reunion does not work out.We estimate that at least 50 of the family reunion cases transferred from France as part of the Calais clearance will require a local authority placement in cases where the family reunion does not work out.
Every region in England is participating in the National Transfer Scheme and we are working very closely with local authorities in Scotland and Wales who have also responded positively.
It is for individual local authorities to decide the number of children they are able to accommodate but we continue to work with those not currently participating in the National Transfer Scheme to support them to do so at the earliest opportunity.