Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect on children whose refugee shelters in Calais are due to be demolished by the French government.

James Brokenshire

The UK is working closely with the French Government on all aspects of the migrant situation in Calais; however the management of the migrant camps in France is the responsibility of the French Government. They have recently increased capacity in heated container accommodation for vulnerable groups in the Calais camp, where women, children and the sick and injured are given priority.

Both the UK and France are clear that the right course of action is to move migrants away from Calais and for genuine refugees to be offered protection within the French asylum system. That is why as part of the UK-France Joint Declaration of 20 August 2015, the UK has provided £3.6million (or €5 million) per year for two years to help provide support and facilities for migrants at centres elsewhere in France.