§ Mr. David StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on (i) the numbers of and (ii) factors leading to unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the UK. [28513]
§ Angela EagleWe have not commissioned any research or evaluation into the factors which lead unaccompanied minors to seek asylum in the United Kingdom. However, the Research Development Statistics (RDS) Directorate is currently in discussion with the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to identify any possible research needs in this area.
Information on the numbers of unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in the United Kingdom is already available (up to August 2001).
Information on unaccompanied minors is published annually in the statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom", a copy of which is available in the Library, and from the RDS website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration 1.html.