Speaking at a recent conference on refugee resettlement, David Simmonds, Conservative MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner and chair of the all-party parliamentary group on migration, said introducing a system where unaccompanied children could apply online from abroad for safe passage to the UK would help put a stop to young people making the dangerous crossing of the Channel in small boats.
People can only apply for asylum once they reach the UK, but a huge backlog of claims means many wait more than a year before the Home Office makes a decision.
This acts as an incentive for people smugglers, Simmonds told delegates at the Positive Youth Foundation conference. To tackle this, he wants to see a system introduced that assesses whether a person – including unaccompanied children – has a good claim for asylum before coming to the UK.
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