Peer criticises Government’s ‘broken promises’ on rehoming of child refugees

By The Press Association17th November 2016News EnglandChild Protection, Childrens Services, Government / Politics, Immigration, News England

A Labour peer who fled the Nazis has accused the Government of breaking its promises to provide sanctuary for more child refugees.

The Government earlier this year pledged to take in more children from the “Jungle” Calais camp and across Europe following a political rebellion led by Lord Dubs.

But new Home Office guidelines seriously restrict which children at the camp will qualify to come to the UK under the Dubs Amendment.

Charities said they are “extremely concerned” at the change while MPs and peers urged ministers to “think again” about the restrictions.

Under new eligibility criteria, a child must be either 12 or under, at high risk of sexual exploitation, be 15 or under and either of Syrian or Sudanese nationality, or be under 18 and a sibling of someone fitting this criteria.

Lord Dubs, who was brought to Britain as part of the Kindertransport scheme, told the Press Association the change is “shocking”.

He said: “The Government gave an undertaking that they would accept the letter and the spirit of the amendment, and I think in those new eligibility criteria they have breached both the letter and the spirit of the amendment.

“I think they have gone back on their word.”

He accused ministers of “arbitrarily” drawing up stricter criteria that will limit the chances of vulnerable children to start a new life in Britain.

Lord Dubs said: “They have gone back on undertakings.

“I think they are trying to find a way of avoiding taking more than a handful of children, and what I fear is that while this applies to Calais, they will extend it to unaccompanied children in Greece and Italy as well.”

Critics said they do not object to certain children being prioritised, but said the strict eligibility criteria rules out bringing many of the youngsters who had been living in the squalid camp before it was cleared by bulldozers last month.

Alex Fraser from the British Red Cross said they are “extremely concerned” adding: “Hundreds of children now face an uncertain future. We strongly urge the government to reconsider the criteria and to show compassion in this ongoing crisis.”

While a number of MPs condemned the change during an urgent question on the matter in the House of Commons.

Shadow Home Office minister Carolyn Harris said the qualifying eligibility criteria are a “disgrace” and “not in the spirit of the Dubs Amendment”.

She said: “On the basis of this criteria it seems that any child subject to a medium or moderate risk of sexual exploitation is on their own.”

Labour’s Yvette Cooper, who chairs the Home Affairs Select Committee, urged the Government to reconsider its approach.

Home Office Minister Robert Goodwill said the Government remains “absolutely committed” to bringing eligible children from France to the UK.

He said: “More than 300 children have been transferred from France since October 10, including resuming transfers over the weekend when another 19 girls assessed as being at high risk of sexual exploitation were brought to Scotland.”

Mr Goodwill said he expects several hundred more children to be transferred to the UK in the future.

He added: “The Government is getting on with the job of bringing eligible children over to the UK, working closely with the French authorities to ensure that both governments are working in the best interest of these children.”

The Home Office restricted one of the eligibility criteria to just Syrian and Sudanese children because they are more likely to qualify for asylum, he added.