asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in view of the assurances given in October 2006 by the Immigration Minister, Mr Liam Byrne, they will ask the Children's Commissioner to carry out an independent inquiry into the circumstances in which a breastfeeding mother was separated from her infant while detained in Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre. [HL3978]

The Home Office’s Immigration Minister has instructed the children’s champion for the Border and Immigration Agency to investigate the circumstances of the separation of a breastfeeding mother from her baby and to make recommendations. A copy of those recommendations, and the agreed action to implement them, will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will develop new procedures and safeguards to ensure that police forces and social services officers of local authorities review the detention of breastfeeding mothers to ensure that they are reunited with their infants immediately when it is ascertained that no danger would arise to the welfare of the infant. [HL3980]

Detention at a police station is an operational matter for the chief officer of the force concerned and decisions around the detention of a detainee are considered on an individual basis based on the circumstances of the case and in compliance with statutory requirements. Social services are independent agencies. Social services will always seek to minimise the separation between any child and their parent unless the welfare or safety of either clearly demands that the separation should continue.