Home Secretary Sajid Javid ‘to house hundreds more asylum seekers in the Home Counties’
THE Home Secretary has paved the way for hundreds more asylum seekers to be housed in the Home Counties, it was claimed yesterday.
Sajid Javid’s move comes after councils across the north of England threatened to pull out of the current so-called ‘dispersal programme’.
The Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester – Andy Burnham – yesterday revealed that Mr Javid has told him he wants to see more areas which currently take no refugees stepping up to the plate.
In a letter, the Home Secretary promised a “reduction in the proportion of dispersal” to authorities who already take large numbers.
And he vowed a “commensurate increase” in those who take lower numbers or none at all.
Mr Burnham said it was unfair that under the current system, the north-west of England hosts 25 per cent of the national population of asylum applicants who require housing and support.
Greater Manchester houses 70 per cent of that region’s numbers.
Latest figures show there are currently 6,681 supported asylum seekers in Greater Manchester – a 102 per cent increase since 2003.
But dozens of councils – including the Prime Minister own local authority of Windsor and Maidenhead – have only taken a handful. In 2016 figures showed that neither ex-PM David Cameron’s Witney constituency, nor former Chancellor George Osborne’s old patch of Tatton, had any asylum seekers.
Mr Burnham revealed the Home Office’s move during a meeting of the Commons home affairs select committee last night.
most read in politics
He read out extracts of Mr Javid’s letter, which said: ‘I’m happy to commit to our officials to work with you on the question of a more equitable distribution of supported asylum seekers and what it would look like in practice.
“This is part of a wider intent to achieve a progressive reduction in the proportion of dispersal in the higher volume authorities, and a commensurate increase in the ratios in areas which currently have lower or non-existent volumes.
Only 120 authorities have stepped forward to take refugees, while 180 have taken none.
A Home Office spokesman last night said: “We take the wellbeing of asylum seekers and the local communities in which they live extremely seriously. We will continue to work closely with Local Authorities across the United Kingdom to deliver on our statutory obligation to house destitute asylum seekers whilst their asylum claims are determined.”
- GOT a story? Ring The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or email [email protected].