HOME Office plans to bring a final 150 lone refugee children to the UK under the axed Dubs scheme lack credibility, it has been claimed.

Campaigners spoke out as the International Development Committee took evidence on measures surrounding the vulnerable youngsters.

Last year it was thought that about 3000 unaccompanied minors would be brought to the UK when parliament approved the so-called Dubs amendment brought by Lord Dubs, himself a former child refugee.

However, that total has now been reduced to just 350 and, with 150 spaces to be filled by April, only those who arrived in Europe before March 20 last year will be eligible.

The cut-off date coincides with the EU-Turkey deal set up to stop the flow of refugees from Africa and the Middle East.

The Home Office has stated that it will accept juveniles from Greece, Italy and France if a “best interests determination” finds they should be brought to the UK, instead of remaining in camps or joining family members elsewhere.

But yesterday campaigners said the time limit would mean most unaccompanied children in Greek camps would be ineligible, regardless of their circumstances.

Natasha Tsangarides of the Safe Passage charity said: “Using the March 20 cut-off date lacks credibility and seriousness given the bill was passed in May last year and to date not one child has been transferred under its auspices from Greece.”

She said new “vulnerability-led” criteria were an improvement on the conditions used to determine transfer from Calais camps last year. However, she went on: “Of course, with government determined to wind up the programme by April, these criteria will be scant comfort to the thousands of minors for whom the Dubs amendment came as a lifeline.

“Children will once again be forced to make the terrible choice between train tracks on the one hand and people traffickers on the other.

“These choices are worth up to £13,500 per child to the traffickers and of course will only result in the regrowth of ‘The Jungle’ in Calais.

“We appeal to the government to reconsider their decision to close this lifeline, pending further advice from the anti-slavery commissioner and local authorities.”

Meanwhile, the International Development Committee yesterday asked Lord Dubs if the government had fulfilled his understanding of the Dubs amendment.

Urging Theresa May’s administration not to close the scheme, he said: “I don’t understand why they have done it. We are talking about very small numbers.

“I don’t understand why they have closed it down in this way. They could have easily kept it going for a bit longer.

“They should keep the scheme open but accept children at the speed that local authorities can take them.”

It is thought that there are as many as 2,300 lone child refugees in Greece alone, where only 1,250 shelter places are available.

Officials there, and in France and Italy, have until the end of the month to refer suitable children to the Home Office.

According to guidelines, victims of trafficking and sexual abuse, torture and violence survivors and children with mental or physical disabilities should be prioritised.

The department says the March 20 2016 cut-off date was set out in the initial Dubs announcement. It also argues that closing the Dubs scheme will deter minors from travelling to Europe in search of asylum, avoiding a potentially deadly sea crossing.

Officials said: “This is why under the Immigration Act we committed to only taking children who were already present in Europe before 20 March 2016, to avoid creating a situation where families see an advantage in sending unaccompanied children ahead, potentially putting them in the hands of people traffickers and criminal gangs.”