§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what(a) services and (b) support the Government is providing to young female asylum seekers who are pregnant through (i) rape and (ii) sexual assault to (A) prevent their isolation and (B) aid their participation in community life;[144503]
(2) what (a) services and (b) assistance the Government is providing for young female asylum seekers arriving in the United Kingdom who are pregnant as a result of (i) rape and (ii) sexual assault in their country of origin.[144504]
§ Beverley HughesAnyone who has lodged a formal application for asylum in the United Kingdom is entitled to access health services. Health assessments are offered in induction centres to allow early identification of health care needs and in the event that an asylum seeker is dispersed, they will take with them a patient handheld record which health professionals can access. Asylum seekers housed in emergency accommodation pending dispersal also have access to health services. If an individual case is referred to and accepted by the Medical Foundation then they will normally be able to remain in London to access the specialist care that only the Foundation can provide
416WOn arrival in a dispersal area, advice is provided to help applicants access local services, including medical facilities. In the case of a pregnant woman she will be given appropriate ante-natal care by the local Primary Care Trust. She will also be entitled to access those services which are generally available to women who have been raped. NASS's policy of dispersal according to language seeks to ensure that individuals are not isolated without any support from their community. We also encourage the active participation of asylum seekers in community life through, for example, our Purposeful Activities Scheme and through volunteer and mentoring schemes
People who arrive in the United Kingdom alone and are under 18 will be treated as unaccompanied asylum seeking children and will be cared for by local social services departments. There they will be entitled to the same care for pregnancy and trauma as any other child in that situation
In the event that an asylum seeker is raped or sexually assaulted in the United Kingdom then she is entitled to the same protection under the law as anyone else. She would also be offered access to available victim support and counselling services to deal with the consequences of an assault, such as trauma and pregnancy.