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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Lost girls in 'forced marriages' | Lost girls in 'forced marriages' |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| More than 30 girls are missing from schools in Bradford despite efforts to track them down, MPs have been told. | |
| Authorities suspect 33 children from the city have been "taken abroad to participate in forced marriages", Labour MP Keith Vaz said. | |
| Children's minister Kevin Brennan told the Commons Home Affairs committee that the issue was a "serious concern". | Children's minister Kevin Brennan told the Commons Home Affairs committee that the issue was a "serious concern". |
| The government had identified 14 other areas with suspected high rates of so-called "honour violence", he added. | The government had identified 14 other areas with suspected high rates of so-called "honour violence", he added. |
| Mr Vaz, the committee's chairman, said that he was "shocked" by the figures. | Mr Vaz, the committee's chairman, said that he was "shocked" by the figures. |
| Rescue operations | Rescue operations |
| Mr Brennan told MPs that Bradford City Council had lost track of 205 youngsters aged under 16 from its school rolls in 2007. | Mr Brennan told MPs that Bradford City Council had lost track of 205 youngsters aged under 16 from its school rolls in 2007. |
| Following inquiries, 172 were tracked down - but 23 were left unaccounted for. | Following inquiries, 172 were tracked down - but 23 were left unaccounted for. |
| "What we need to try to do is seek an explanation of what has happened," he said. | "What we need to try to do is seek an explanation of what has happened," he said. |
| Asked whether the police were searching for them, he added: "They should be." | Asked whether the police were searching for them, he added: "They should be." |
| The government investigates 300 forced marriages a year, including about 70 overseas rescue operations. | The government investigates 300 forced marriages a year, including about 70 overseas rescue operations. |
| It has established a special Forced Marriages Unit which mounts clandestine rescue operations predominantly to help British women forced into relationships in Pakistan. | It has established a special Forced Marriages Unit which mounts clandestine rescue operations predominantly to help British women forced into relationships in Pakistan. |
| Forced marriages are different to Asian traditions of arranged marriages which are freely-agreed matches, facilitated by families. | Forced marriages are different to Asian traditions of arranged marriages which are freely-agreed matches, facilitated by families. |