Clause 51 - Asylum-seeker: residence, ÿ restriction
Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill
6:45 pm
Ms Angela Eagle (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office; Wallasey, Labour)
I shall refer briefly to the technical nature of the Government amendment, which relates to the definition of a claim for asylum used in the clause. We want the clause to use the same definition of a claim for asylum as that in clause 16, which is a claim under the refugee convention or article 3 of the European convention on human rights. The Bill contains a drafting error and refers not to clause 16 but to ''that section'', which in the context means section 50, as we discussed in other contexts. It is a technical issue.
Although children may in general be required to report, we envisage that they will be required to do so less frequently than adults. It is right that they be subject to reporting powers. It would be inconsistent with our wish to improve contact management for asylum seekers if children, whether accompanied or unaccompanied, were omitted from the category of people with whom we kept in contact.
The contacts will not be onerous, but as I have said throughout the Committee's deliberations, we hope that they will be helpful. Certainly in the context of unaccompanied asylum seeking children, who are especially vulnerable, we intend them to be helpful, and not onerous or worrisome. I hope that with those assurances the hon. Gentleman will consider withdrawing the amendment.