Asylum: Young People

Mr. Andrew Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress his Department has made on its programme to reform support for unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people.

Mr. Woolas
[holding answer 27 October 2009]: The UASC Reform Programme set out a number of reforms to the way unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are supported. We are continuing to work with local authorities and others in a number of areas including:

developing a model of grant arrangements that provides more clarity and certainty over funding;

exploring improvements to the method and process for assessment age; and

considering how UASC and former UASC might be returned to support arrangements in their countries of origin in a way that is safe and sustainable.

The range of reforms and policy improvements we are making are being progressed and implemented at different stages.

Mr. Andrew Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of its grant to local authorities to meet the costs of unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people over the age of 16.

Mr. Woolas
[holding answer 27 October 2009]: We are satisfied the grant arrangements are adequate.

Local authority costs in supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children for the period up until the end of the financial year 2007-08 have been reimbursed in full as part of an agreement between the UK Border Agency and the Local Government Association (LGA). Funding claims for the financial year 2008-09 are still being checked. The grant for the financial year 2009-10 is very similar to the arrangements agreed with the LGA, with the exception that from October cash ceilings have been placed on indirect costs.