Asylum: Young People
Home Department
Written answers and statements, 3 November 2009
Andrew Smith (Oxford East, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress his Department has made on its programme to reform support for unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people.
Phil Woolas (Minister of State (the North West), Home Office; Oldham East & Saddleworth, Labour)
holding answer
The UASC Reform Programme set out a number of reforms to the way unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are supported. We are continuing to work with local authorities and others in a number of areas including:
developing a model of grant arrangements that provides more clarity and certainty over funding;
exploring improvements to the method and process for assessment age; and
considering how UASC and former UASC might be returned to support arrangements in their countries of origin in a way that is safe and sustainable.
The range of reforms and policy improvements we are making are being progressed and implemented at different stages.