Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill

After such a full and frank exchange of views, it would be improper if I were more than brief in summarising one or two matters before withdrawing the amendment, as one must in Grand Committee. First, with regard to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, I certainly welcome the Government’s move to more robust language in saying that children will be designated. I shall certainly ask the Refugee Children’s Consortium to look at the noble Baroness’s response today to see whether there is anything further that it wishes to bring back with a strong case on Report. However, the noble Baroness was absolutely right to point out that my amendment on children went further than the objective that I was seeking to attain because it was not a probing amendment. I welcome the fact that the noble Baroness reiterated that she is in favour of the principle of extending in-country appeals more widely rather than, as she said, having a list of exemptions. It is also the first choice of all noble Lords here that there should be a wide extension of in-country appeals. But we have to work on the basis that we may not get our first choice—hence these amendments. The cross-party speeches today from around the Committee from many noble Lords who are strongly in favour of exemptions, particularly with regard to students, will leave the Government in no doubt as to the strength of feeling at later stages of the Bill. I hope that it will be possible to come to an agreement by negotiation. We all hope that agreement will be reached by the discussions that are being held by the Government, by all groups in-house and also—far more importantly—with expert groups outside. I also welcome the approaches that I have had from the Chinese community. I received a letter today from Miss Lee and I have asked her office to set up meetings with that community. However, the Minister was right to remind us that the issue of business goes wider than one community, vital though that community is. On that note, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendments Nos. 3 to 11 not moved.] Clause 1 agreed to. Clauses 2 and 3 agreed to. Clause 4 [Entry clearance]: