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Draft agreement on unaccompanied migrant children discussed with experts

3 July 2020

The EU Security and Justice Sub-Committee takes evidence from charities, academics and campaigner Lord Dubs on Government's draft agreement

Witnesses

Tuesday 7 July, virtual meeting

At 10.00am 

  • Lord Alf Dubs
  • Professor Ravi KS Kohli, Professor of Child Welfare, University of Bedfordshire
  • Beth Gardiner-Smith, CEO of Safe Passage

 At 11.00am

  • Professor Elspeth Guild, Professor of Law, Queen Mary University
  • Pinar Aksu, Development Officer, Maryhill Integration Network
  • Daniela Reale, Child Protection & Children on the Move Lead, Save the Children

Background

The issue of asylum and migration was of long-standing interest of the former EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee, which held two inquiries into these issues, most recently Brexit: refugee protection and asylum policy, publishing its report in October 2016.

Continuing this focus, its successor, the Justice and Security Committee now examines the Government's draft agreement on the transfer of unaccompanied migrant children, published in May 2020. The session will seek the views of a range of subject-matter experts on the challenges faced by migrant children today across EU States and the UK and whether the draft agreement meets those challenges    

Possible questions

Topics likely to be covered across both sessions include:

  • The challenges faced by unaccompanied migrant children seeking refuge and protection in EU States and the UK
  • The attitudes of EU States and the UK to asylum-seekers and whether these may have been affected by Brexit
  • Witnesses' views on the |Government's draft agreement with EU States on the transfer of unaccompanied migrant children
  • Should unaccompanied migrant children have the right to sponsor their families to join them?
  • How closely should any agreement between the UK and EU States follow the provisions of the Dublin model?
  • What will be the impact on unaccompanied migrant children if the parties fail to reach an agreement at the end of the transition period in December 2020?

Further information