HC Deb 19 July 2004 vol 424 cc72-3W
Ms Keeble

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the first inter-ministerial meeting on child trafficking will be held. [182840]

Mr. Browne

There is close co-operation across Government to tackle the crime of human trafficking. For example, Reflex the multi-agency task force set up to co-ordinate intelligence and law enforcement in a response to organised immigration crime, including human trafficking, brings together all the key agencies and Departments. The Government Departments represented on Reflex include the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Home Office.

The Home Office and the Department for Education and Skills work closely on the subject of child trafficking. We are jointly considering the results from the Reflex funded multi-agency operation, Paladin Child. This involved the Metropolitan police, the Immigration Service, social workers from Hillingdon Social Services and secondees from NSPCC. The operation risk assessed children arriving at Heathrow airport without their parents or legal guardians and social services followed up those considered to be at risk. The operation did not uncover any evidence of child trafficking. However, the report did make a number of recommendations related to child protection.

This issue of human trafficking is currently within the remit of a number of ministerial groups. Ministers are currently considering whether a ministerial group focussing specifically on human trafficking would be of benefit in taking forward the agenda in this area.

Unaccompanied 1,2,3 children, aged 17 or under, applying for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality, 1999 to 2003
Nationality 19994 20004 20014 20025,6 20036
Albania 125 95 85 300 145
Czech Republic 30 20 20 10 —
Macedonia — — 100 110 55
Moldova * 5 35 145 5
Poland 45 15 25 10 60
Romania 85 40 50 130 5
Russia 5 * 5 10 170
SAM 1,520 665 475 725 15
Turkey 115 155 95 85 85
Ukraine * 5 * 5 5
Other former USSR 25 20 10 10 5
Other former Yugoslavia 30 35 80 5 *
Europe other 10 5 — * *
Europe total 1,995 1,055 985 1,545 560
Colombia 20 5 5 5 5
Ecuador 15 5 5 5 5
Jamaica 5 5 * 15 5
Americas other 5 * 5 — 5
Americas total 40 15 20 30 15
Algeria 10 25 20 40 20
Angola 40 100 145 210 115
Burundi 10 20 20 30 60
Cameroon — 5 20 30 20
Congo 5 10 30 25 15
Democratic Republic Congo 35 45 80 145 95
Eritrea 95 85 110 220 125
Ethiopia 55 60 140 140 100
Gambia — — * 5 5
Ghana * 10 5 5 5
Ivory Coast * 5 5 5 10
Kenya 10 10 15 30 25
Nigeria 45 25 35 55 35
Rwanda 35 50 40 65 20
Sierra Leone 65 75 130 110 35

Unaccompanied1,2,3 children, aged 17 or under, applying for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality, 1999 to 2003
Nationality 19994 20004 20014 20025,6 20036
Somalia 190 175 200 345 255
Sudan 5 10 5 15 30
Tanzania * 5 * 5 5
Uganda 10 25 45 105 125
Zimbabwe 5 35 35 90 10
Africa other 10 25 25 70 105
Africa total 630 800 1,115 1,745 1,225
Iran 15 65 25 50 65
Iraq 60 110 180 1,310 220
Middle East other 15 15 20 50 30
Middle East total 90 190 225 1,410 310
Afghanistan 215 300 675 720 235
Bangladesh 5 5 15 60 50
China 165 115 135 260 145
India 15 15 20 60 60
Pakistan 20 25 25 40 45
Sri Lanka 125 170 140 125 15
Vietnam 5 20 90 180 125
Asia other 5 5 5 15 10
Asia total 550 655 1,100 1,460 685
Nationality not known 40 20 25 5 5
Grand total 3,350 2,735 3,470 6,200 2,800
1 Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2.
2 Unaccompanied at point of arrival, aged (or if no proof) determined to be 17 or under and not known to be joining a relative or guardian in the United Kingdom.
3 Figures exclude disputed age cases.
4 May excluded some cases lodged at Local Enforcement Offices.
5 Not comparable with manual counts data prior to 2002.
6 Provisional figures.