Europe is currently facing a migration crisis that is unprecedented in the modern era. As migrants continue to arrive on ramshackle boats run by people smugglers, the British Government has done all it can to discourage people putting their lives into the hands of people smugglers and making the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean.

I recognise that there are many people, including children, who have come to Europe and are still not safe. However, I strongly believe that Britain has put in place a common-sense policy to help those most in need by bringing them to safety in Britain directly from Refugee Camps in the region. That is why the British Government made the greatest investment in safe refugee camps in the Middle East by any one country. 

This is a far better approach than giving people hope that if they survive a treacherous sea crossing they might then find sanctuary in the United Kingdom. It would be incredibly dangerous to encourage more refugees to risk their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean illegally.

We need to ensure that we are investing in safe havens outside Europe, not only to protect those fleeing war, but to ensure that when the conflict is over, the Middle East can start to rebuild. It would be doubly morally indefensible to encourage people to make these journeys and leave behind a broken region that is starved of the people it most needs to rebuild.

The ‘Dubs Amendment’, which was debated in Parliament last week, called for the relocation of 3,000 unaccompanied children to Britain from continental Europe. I share Lord Dubs’ concern about the safety and well-being of children who have come to Europe and I know that many have fled unimaginable conditions in Syria and elsewhere. However, for the reasons outlined above, I do not believe it is reasonable to simply pick a number (such as 3,000) and ignore the wider effects of such a decision.

Whilst I did not agree with amendment put forward last week, neither did I believe that it would be the end of the matter. That is why I am pleased to see that the Government has responded to a revised amendment from Lord Dubs and, after consulting with Save the Children, has announced a new initiative for unaccompanied children to be resettled in the UK from Greece, Italy and France. 

The scheme will mean that;

  • Children registered in Greece, Italy or France before 20 March will be eligible for resettlement,
  • The Government will work with local authorities on plans to resettle unaccompanied children,
  • The programme will extend the Government’s twin-track approach of helping vulnerable youngsters without encouraging any new perilous crossings to Europe.

I am pleased that the retrospective nature of the scheme will avoid creating a perverse incentive for families to entrust their children to people traffickers. I am also very pleased that efforts to reunite families will be accelerated and that people at greatest risk of trafficking or exploitation will be prioritised for resettlement.

I understand that the Government will work closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to deliver this scheme, as well as with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like Save the Children and with local authorities across the UK to determine how many children will be resettled. 

I agree with the Prime Minister that the cornerstone of our policy should continue to be the principle of discouraging people from making perilous journeys to Europe – together with offering as much humanitarian assistance as possible in the region. I am delighted that the Government has found a way to help address a serious problem on our doorstep without compromising this fundamental principle.