AGE DISPUTES FOR SEPARATED CHILDREN SEEKING ASYLUM

Early day motion 2280, tabled 5 June 2006 by Neil Gerrard (Labour). Signed by 67 members.

That this House notes that the number of age disputed asylum seeking children is on the increase; expresses concern that the current process of age assessment is subjective and difficult to make rigorous, with appearance often being used as a deciding factor; further notes that separated children may have had to flee persecution from their home country or may be in the UK as a result of trafficking; welcomes the Student Action for Refugees (STAR) `Age Matters!' campaign calling for the present system for deciding the age of a separated child seeking asylum to be replaced by an independent decision-making body; and calls on the Government to take action on this issue to demonstrate that every child, including every child seeking asylum, really does matter.

Signatures by party: Labour 41, Liberal Democrat 17, Conservative 4, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Plaid Cymru 2.