Treatment of claimants

21Children

1

The Secretary of State shall issue a code of practice designed to ensure that in exercising functions in the United Kingdom the Border and Immigration Agency takes appropriate steps to ensure that while children are in the United Kingdom they are safe from harm.

2

The Agency shall—

a

have regard to the code in the exercise of its functions, and

b

take appropriate steps to ensure that persons with whom it makes arrangements for the provision of services have regard to the code.

3

The code shall come into force in accordance with provision made by order of the Secretary of State; and an order—

a

shall be made by statutory instrument, and

b

shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

4

The Secretary of State shall from time to time review and, if necessary, revise the code; and subsection (3) applies to a revision as to the original code.

5

In this section—

a

“the Border and Immigration Agency” means—

i

immigration officers, and

ii

other officials of the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State, in respect of functions relating to immigration, asylum or nationality, and

b

“child” means an individual who is less than 18 years old.