Lords voted narrowly to reject an amendment to clause 8 of the Children Bill from Tory peer Earl Howe that would have placed a duty on the regional office of the National Asylum Support Service, the centre manager of an immigration removal centre, and the chief immigration officer at the port of entry to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Junior education minister Baroness Ashton said there would be "consequences" for the Government's asylum and immigration policy if the duty were imposed.
"We are sure that the amendment would have an impact on what we could do in terms of removals and the ability of people to use the Bill for judicial review," she said.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
