Unaccompanied Child Refugees

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 10:37 am on 9 February 2017.

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Photo of Peter Bone Peter Bone Conservative, Wellingborough 10:37, 9 February 2017

I do not doubt the sincerity of Opposition Members, but this situation was a classic dilemma when I was chair of the all-party parliamentary group on human trafficking and modern slavery. If we continue to take unaccompanied children into this country, more and more will be taken from Syria and across the dreadful sea routes, with many dying, and we will be feeding and encouraging human trafficking. Yvette Cooper is sincere, but she is absolutely wrong. I urge the Home Secretary to continue to take people from Syria, but to abandon taking them from Europe, which encourages human trafficking.