http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ministers-uturn-on-migrant-children-937007.html

Minister's U-turn on migrant children

By Emily Dugan and Jane Merrick
Sunday, 21 September 2008


The Government has been shamed into a U-turn on its treatment of
migrant children. It had been due to face censure at a UN meeting for
its policy of locking minors in detention centres. Tomorrow ministers
will announce plans to grant the children of immigrants the same human
rights as those born in the UK.


When the Government first signed the UN Convention on the Rights of
the Child in 1991, it retained the right to give controlling
immigration precedence over the rights of children. Now, after
mounting pressure from human rights activists and the UN, the Home
Secretary, Jacqui Smith, is to announce the decision to scrap the opt-
out. She said: "We want every child to be as safe and secure as
possible. While the lifting of the immigration reservation does not
mean that every child who comes to the UK will be entitled to remain,
it does signal our commitment to treat children in the UK immigration
system with compassion."

Ms Smith said the Government had transformed its policy on children,
and even legislated to impose a duty on the UK Border Agency to keep
children safe from harm.

Sources close to the UN had said that the Government was due to face
strong criticism this week over its treatment of migrant children.