§ .—(1) The Secretary of State, after consultation, if thought fit, with the Refugee Council and any other statutory or voluntary body which he considers appropriate, shall from time to time appoint such persons as he thinks fit to be members of the advisory panel and every such appointment shall be made upon such terms and conditions in all respects as the Secretary of State shall determine.
§ (2) The Secretary of State may from time to time revocably delegate to the Refugee Council or other appropriate statutory or voluntary body all or any of his duties under subsection (1) above.
§ (3) The advisory panel shall so far as practicable include persons who—
- (a) are, or can call upon persons who are, able to converse in the several languages likely to be spoken by young unaccompanied asylum-seekers;
- (b) are familiar with the habits and customs of the territories from which such young asylum-seekers are likely to come; and
- (c) have knowledge of child-care legislation and immigration procedures.
§ (4) An officer or employee of the immigration service shall not be eligible for appointment to the advisory panel.
§ (5) It shall be the function of an asylum-seeker's adviser, to whom a young asylum-seeker has been referred, to befriend and advise the asylum-seeker in all matters relating to immigration, accommodation, education, health and general welfare for so long and to such an extent as the adviser shall from time to time consider desirable; and in performing such function the adviser shall have regard to the ascertainable wishes and feelings of the young asylum-seeker (considered in the light of his age and understanding).
§ (6) Nothing in this section or section (young unaccompanied asylum-seekers) above affects the powers or duties of local authorities under the Children Act 1989 or otherwise.").
§ On Question, amendment agreed to.