(2) what recent assessment he has made of the effects on the well-being of families of the use of leave to remove applications; and if he will make a statement;
(3) what recent assessment he has made of the effects of successful leave to remove applications on the well-being of the (a) children subject to the application and (b) parent remaining in the UK;
(4) if he will make it his policy not to recognise leave to remove applications; and if he will make a statement;
(5) whether his Department takes steps to monitor the welfare of those children who have been the subject of successful leave to remove applications; and if he will make a statement;
(6) what information he holds for benchmarking purposes on the policies of the (a) US and (b) New Zealand government on leave to remove applications.
The Department currently has no plans to consider not recognising leave to remove applications or to strengthen the rights of those seeking to challenge leave to remove applications.
The Children Act 1989 ensures that any decision regarding a child or young person will be made in the child’s best interests and his or her long and short-term welfare will be fully considered before any decisions, including leave to remove application, are taken. Following a successful removal the welfare of the child will be safeguarded by the country in which the child is resident.
The Department has not undertaken any recent research or benchmarking comparison into the effect on the family or the child where there has been a leave to remove application.