Dear Nottinghamshire County Council,

Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) Reform Programme –
request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

The UK Border Agency is currently undertaking a programme of
activities to change the arrangements for the care and support of
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, known as the 'UASC Reform
Programme'.

From information already made available it is clear that a central
part of the initiative is to identify local authorities, or groups
of local authorities, outside of London and the South-East of
England who would be prepared to act as ‘specialist authorities’ or
setting up of a regional 'assessment centre' for numbers of
dispersed UASC who have initially arrived and been cared for
elsewhere in the UK.

From June 2008 the information required by email:

1. Has your authority, either individually or as part of a
'Consortia' or 'Association' of authorities or strategic migration
partnership (SMP), had any meetings or discussions with UK Border
Agency officials concerning the possibility of you becoming
‘specialist authorities’ or setting up of a regional 'assessment
centre' for unaccompanied asylum seeking children under the UASC
reform programme? Please state whether you were approached
individually or as part of a ‘Consortia’ or 'Association' of
authorities or strategic migration partnership (SMP).

2. If the answer to the first part of question 1 is ‘yes’, please
provide: a) copies of the minutes of all meetings between UK Border
Agency or other Government, SMP, Consortia or Association officials
and your authority relating to your possible role as ‘specialist
authorities’ or setting up of a regional 'assessment centre' and ;
b) Any file note relating to conversations with any such officials
relating to the same matter.

3. Has your authority, either individually or as part of a
‘Consortia’ or 'Association' of authorities or SMP, had any
internal meetings to discuss any matter relating to your becoming
‘specialist authorities’ or setting up of a regional 'assessment
centre' for unaccompanied asylum seeking children under the UASC
reform programme?

4. Have your authorities’ staff ,or consultants working for your
authority, produced any discussion papers, proposals or options for
bodies within the authority to consider in relation to the
authority becoming ‘specialist authorities’ or setting up of a
regional 'assessment centre' for UASC under the reform programme?

5. If the answer to either Question 3 or Question 4 is ‘yes’,
please provide: a) copies of the minutes of any meetings at which
this was a substantive agenda item and; b) copies of any discussion
papers, costings/budgets, proposals or options relating to the same
matter.

Please note that the Freedom of Information Act states that you
have a duty to contact me regarding this request within 20 working
days of receipt.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Yours faithfully,

Cassidy, J

Thank you for your enquiry. We will respond to you shortly. Please note
the following login, which you may use to check on this and any future
enquiries you may have:

E-mail address: [FOI #12768 email]
Password: 1ItKhGoe

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Thank you for contacting Nottinghamshire County Council. You should expect
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Question Reference #090602-000050
Question: Freedom of Information request - Unaccompanied Asylum
Seeking Children (UASC) Reform Programme 02 06 09
Date Created: 02/06/2009 21:11
Last Updated: 02/06/2009 21:11
Status: Unresolved

Enquiry History
Customer (J Cassidy) 02/06/2009 21:11
Dear Nottinghamshire County Council,

Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) Reform Programme *
request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

The UK Border Agency is currently undertaking a programme of
activities to change the arrangements for the care and support of
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, known as the 'UASC Reform
Programme'.

From information already made available it is clear that a central
part of the initiative is to identify local authorities, or groups
of local authorities, outside of London and the South-East of
England who would be prepared to act as *specialist authorities* or
setting up of a regional 'assessment centre' for numbers of
dispersed UASC who have initially arrived and been cared for
elsewhere in the UK.

From June 2008 the information required by email:

1. Has your authority, either individually or as part of a
'Consortia' or 'Association' of authorities or strategic migration
partnership (SMP), had any meetings or discussions with UK Border
Agency officials concerning the possibility of you becoming
*specialist authorities* or setting up of a regional 'assessment
centre' for unaccompanied asylum seeking children under the UASC
reform programme? Please state whether you were approached
individually or as part of a *Consortia* or 'Association' of
authorities or strategic migration partnership (SMP).

2. If the answer to the first part of question 1 is *yes*, please
provide: a) copies of the minutes of all meetings between UK Border
Agency or other Government, SMP, Consortia or Association officials
and your authority relating to your possible role as *specialist
authorities* or setting up of a regional 'assessment centre' and ;
b) Any file note relating to conversations with any such officials
relating to the same matter.

3. Has your authority, either individually or as part of a
*Consortia* or 'Association' of authorities or SMP, had any
internal meetings to discuss any matter relating to your becoming
*specialist authorities* or setting up of a regional 'assessment
centre' for unaccompanied asylum seeking children under the UASC
reform programme?

4. Have your authorities* staff ,or consultants working for your
authority, produced any discussion papers, proposals or options for
bodies within the authority to consider in relation to the
authority becoming *specialist authorities* or setting up of a
regional 'assessment centre' for UASC under the reform programme?

5. If the answer to either Question 3 or Question 4 is *yes*,
please provide: a) copies of the minutes of any meetings at which
this was a substantive agenda item and; b) copies of any discussion
papers, costings/budgets, proposals or options relating to the same
matter.

Please note that the Freedom of Information Act states that you
have a duty to contact me regarding this request within 20 working
days of receipt.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Yours faithfully,

Cassidy, J

show quoted sections

Recently you sent Nottinghamshire County Council an enquiry. Our response
is detailed below, along with your enquiry, under the heading 'Enquiry
History'.

[1]We are continuing to work on your enquiry. If you have more
information, please update the enquiry by clicking here.

Subject
Freedom of Information request - Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children
(UASC) Reform Programme 02 06 09

Enquiry History
Response (Chloe Booth) 03/06/2009 10:37
Dear J Cassidy

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST

I acknowledge your request for information received on 02/06/2009.

Your request is being considered and you will receive the information
requested within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by
the Freedom of Information Act 2000, subject to the information not being
exempt or containing a reference to a third party.

If appropriate, the information may be provided in paper copy, normal font
size. If you require alternative formats, e.g. language, audio, large
print, etc. then please let me know.

For your information, the Act defines a number of exemptions which may
prevent release of the information you have requested. There will be an
assessment and if any of the exemption categories apply then the
information will not be released. You will be informed if this is the
case, including your rights of appeal.

If the information you request contains reference to a third party then
they may be consulted prior to a decision being taken on whether or not to
release the information to you. You will be informed if this is the case.

There may a fee payable for this information. This will be considered and
you will be informed if a fee is payable. In this event the fee must be
paid before the information is processed and released. The 20 working day
time limit for responses is suspended until receipt of the payment.

If you have any queries or concerns then please do not hesitate to contact
me.

Further information about your rights is also available from the
Information Commissioner at: Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 01625 545 700
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
Customer (J Cassidy) 02/06/2009 21:11
Dear Nottinghamshire County Council,

Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) Reform Programme *
request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

The UK Border Agency is currently undertaking a programme of
activities to change the arrangements for the care and support of
Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, known as the 'UASC Reform
Programme'.

From information already made available it is clear that a central
part of the initiative is to identify local authorities, or groups
of local authorities, outside of London and the South-East of
England who would be prepared to act as *specialist authorities* or
setting up of a regional 'assessment centre' for numbers of
dispersed UASC who have initially arrived and been cared for
elsewhere in the UK.

From June 2008 the information required by email:

1. Has your authority, either individually or as part of a
'Consortia' or 'Association' of authorities or strategic migration
partnership (SMP), had any meetings or discussions with UK Border
Agency officials concerning the possibility of you becoming
*specialist authorities* or setting up of a regional 'assessment
centre' for unaccompanied asylum seeking children under the UASC
reform programme? Please state whether you were approached
individually or as part of a *Consortia* or 'Association' of
authorities or strategic migration partnership (SMP).

2. If the answer to the first part of question 1 is *yes*, please
provide: a) copies of the minutes of all meetings between UK Border
Agency or other Government, SMP, Consortia or Association officials
and your authority relating to your possible role as *specialist
authorities* or setting up of a regional 'assessment centre' and ;
b) Any file note relating to conversations with any such officials
relating to the same matter.

3. Has your authority, either individually or as part of a
*Consortia* or 'Association' of authorities or SMP, had any
internal meetings to discuss any matter relating to your becoming
*specialist authorities* or setting up of a regional 'assessment
centre' for unaccompanied asylum seeking children under the UASC
reform programme?

4. Have your authorities* staff ,or consultants working for your
authority, produced any discussion papers, proposals or options for
bodies within the authority to consider in relation to the
authority becoming *specialist authorities* or setting up of a
regional 'assessment centre' for UASC under the reform programme?

5. If the answer to either Question 3 or Question 4 is *yes*,
please provide: a) copies of the minutes of any meetings at which
this was a substantive agenda item and; b) copies of any discussion
papers, costings/budgets, proposals or options relating to the same
matter.

Please note that the Freedom of Information Act states that you
have a duty to contact me regarding this request within 20 working
days of receipt.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Yours faithfully,

Cassidy, J

show quoted sections

Dear J Cassidy

Your request for information has now been considered and the information
requested is enclosed.

The answers to your questions are as follows:

Question 1

Nottinghamshire County Council is considering being part of an East
Midlands Specialist Consortia but this is in the very early stages of
discussion, and no firm strategy or documents have been produced as yet.

Question 2

Minutes of the East Midlands Strategic Migration Partnership UASC Task
Group are attached with this e-mail.

Question 3

No.

Question 4

No.

If you have any queries or concerns please contact me.

Further information about your rights is available from the Information
Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner***s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Telephone 01625 545 700

[1]www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Yours sincerely

John Allison
Children and Young Peoples Services
Nottinghamshire County Council
Tel 0115 977 4850
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References

Visible links
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