Steve Double – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Double on 2016-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that children coming to the UK as refugees from Calais are under 18 years olds.

Mr Robert Goodwill

All individuals are referred to the UK authorities by the French non-governmental organisation, France terre d’asile and are then interviewed by French and UK officials.

Where credible and clear documentary evidence of age is not available, trained officials will use criteria including physical appearance and demeanour to assess age as part of the interview process.

Where we believe someone is significantly over the age of 18, they will be refused transfer to the UK as a child. The Home Office does not use dental x-rays to determine an individual’s age; the British Dental Association has described them as inaccurate, inappropriate and unethical.