LGA responds to Home Affairs Select Committee Report on Migration

3 Aug 2016 02:15 PM

Responding to the Home Affairs Select Committee Report on Migration that suggests councils need to do more to support Syrian refugee families, Cllr David Simmonds, Chairman of the Local Government Association's Asylum, Refugee and Migration Task Group, said:

"This report is out of date. We are confident that there will be sufficient places that will support the Government's pledge to resettle 20,000 people by 2020 and the focus must now be on ensuring families are matched to the right placements and that they arrive safely and are well supported.

"Councils have an excellent track record in welcoming asylum seeking and refugee children and their families for many years and continue to work hard to support the Syrian resettlement scheme, alongside all the other schemes in current operation. They have no say over when people will be allowed to enter the UK, but stand ready to help when they do.

"There are multiple schemes in operation for supporting refugees and there are also thousands of asylum seekers who are not housed by councils but who rely on council services.

"Councils will be helping to support some of the most vulnerable families fleeing Syria who will need ongoing support from health and social care services to cope with injuries, disabilities and to recover from the severe trauma they have experienced."

Related links

Refugees and unaccompanied children

Syrian refugee resettlement: A guide for local authorities

Lynne Morris
Head of News and Internal Communications
Local Government Association
Phone: 020 7664 3232
Email: lynne.morris@local.gov.uk