The first group of Syrians have arrived in the
UK today as part of the government’s Vulnerable Persons Relocation
scheme.
Syrian Refugees
Announced by the Home Secretary in January,
the VPR scheme will provide protection in this country to
particularly vulnerable Syrian refugees who are at grave risk.
It
is operating in conjunction with the UNHCR,
who are helping the government identify those individuals who are most
vulnerable and cannot be adequately protected in the region.
Immigration Minister James Brokenshire
said:
I
am pleased to confirm that the first group of Syrians have now arrived in the
UK.
We
believe this VPR scheme will make a real difference to the lives of
some of the most vulnerable Syrians by giving them protection and support in
the UK.
We
also remain committed to providing regional support to those affected by the
crisis. We have donated £600m to the relief effort so far, making the UK
the largest bi-lateral donor after the USA.
Refugees
Those admitted under the VPR scheme will be
granted five years’ Humanitarian Protection, with all the rights and
benefits that go with that status. This includes access to public funds, access
to the labour market and the possibility of family reunion.
A
number of local authorities have already signed up to support the relocation
scheme, with further discussions ongoing with other
authorities.
UNHCR representative to the UK Roland Schilling
said:
With today’s arrival of the first Syrian refugee
families under the VPRscheme, the UK has joined international efforts to
provide solutions for Syrian refugees in the form of resettlement or relocation
to safe third countries.
“We welcome the UK’s contribution as these
are critical and life-saving interventions for refugees with urgent protection
needs and compelling vulnerabilities.
Humanitarian admissions and resettlement are part of our
protection strategy for Syrian refugees. As much as they provide solutions for
vulnerable individuals and families, these efforts are also a concrete gesture
of solidarity and burden sharing with countries in the region currently hosting
more than 2 and a half million Syrian refugees.
Vulnerable
The VPR scheme has been designed to focus on
need rather than to satisfy a quota, but it is anticipated that it will support
several hundred people over the next three years. The next group of refugees
are expected to arrive in April.
In
addition to the VPR scheme, the government continues to offer
humanitarian support both in the region and within the UK.
Since the beginning of the conflict, the UK has received
around 3,800 Syrian asylum seekers and we are a leading contributor to the
EU’s Regional Protection Programme.
Syria
The
UK continues to advise against all travel to Syria, even for people travelling
for well-intentioned humanitarian reasons.
These individuals are exposing themselves to serious
risk, including being targeted for recruitment by terrorist
groups.
The
best way to help the humanitarian situation in Syria is through aid, donations
and volunteer work which can make a real difference, and there are many
opportunities in Britain to make that difference.