VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Undocumented Migrants: Age Assurance

Asked by Rupert LoweRestore BritainHome OfficeTabled Answered 12 December 2024UIN 17977

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2024 to Question 16274 on Undocumented Migrants: Age Assurance, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of using bone density testing for all undocumented migrants claiming to be children where there is reason to doubt their claimed age.

Answered by Dame Angela Eagle

Accurately assessing an individual's age is an incredibly complex and difficult task, and current methods and procedures for doing so are set out in detail in the Home Office's Assessing Age guidance, which is publicly available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/672e169e4f7608e424ffdab1/Assessing+age.pdf.

The effectiveness of these and other potential methods and procedures for age assessment are kept under regular review, and any future changes will be updated in the usual way.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim