Blunkett sees off Labour asylum rebels

Earlier, children presented the case against the plans

Home Secretary David Blunkett has seen off a potential clash with more than 30 Labour backbenchers opposed to his controversial plan for the education of asylum seeker children in accommodation centres.

The MPs had threatened to vote against proposals that would have segregated the youngsters from mainstream schools.

On the basis of this assessment, we will move the child to a school, if necessary and if the parents agree

David Blunkett

But a strict timetable imposed on the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill on Tuesday meant the Labour amendments could not be debated or voted on despite protests from Tories and Liberal Democrats.

Mr Blunkett also sought to calm the growing discontent by offering a concession which allows asylum seeker children to be educated in schools after six months at an accommodation centre.

Protest

One Labour MP who had planned to vote against the government told the BBC that the rebels only option was to vote against the Bill in its entirety at Third Reading.

Under the new proposals, if no decision has been reached over a child's application after six months in the new centres, their education would be reviewed.

Families staying at a centre for nine months would be given an automatic right to send their children to local schools.

Mr Blunkett will have hoped the change will satisfy MPs including former Labour ministers Frank Dobson, Glenda Jackson and Peter Kilfoyle, who had backed opposition to the government plans that were spearheaded by Walthamstow MP Neil Gerrard.

When he realised his amendments would not be considered, Mr Gerrard argued that it would be difficult for the public "to understand how we failed to debate the issue of most interest to people".

'Equality of access' call

The original plan has also been condemned by trade unions and Asylum Coalition, which includes children's charities, teaching unions, church and refugee groups.

In a letter handed into the Home Office by children from a north London school, the Coalition said: "This will be an assault on the right of all children to equality of access to high quality education."

But in a statement, issued outside the Commons chamber, Mr Blunkett said: "For children who have spent six months in the centre, we will carry out an assessment, including their educational needs, and on the basis of this assessment, we will move the child to a school, if necessary and if the parents agree.

"If we decide that they should remain in the centre, this will be for a maximum of a further three months and no longer, unless the parents themselves wish to stay."

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Simon Hughes said the six month education rule "was significant step forward".

During report stage debate, Mr Blunkett said he would experiment with proposals for smaller accommodation centres.

'Fairyland'

He agreed with Conservative suggestions for adjudicators to go to accommodation centres to deal with claims, rather than refugees being forced to make the trip to them.

The home secretary said he would consider introducing the plans when the bill reaches the House of Lords.

Letwin wants asylum seekers in centres for 10 weeks at most

"The arguments that have been rehearsed lead us to want to ensure we do not have to take asylum seekers out of the centre when it is not necessary," he said.

Shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin urged the government to set a 10-week limit on processing asylum claims, instead of six months, but Mr Blunkett retorted that the plan was "fairyland".

Other parts of the legislation would see hauliers having their vehicles confiscated if they refused to pay fines for transporting illegal immigrants into the UK, or defaulting on them.

A sliding scale of new civil penalty fines up to £4,000 will replace the fixed penalty system that was thrown out last year.

Other amendments are set to deal with thousands of refugees who travel to the UK "shopping for higher benefits".