Speeches

The Earl of Sandwich – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Sandwich on 2015-10-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government which towns in the United Kingdom have been designated as potential destinations for Syrian refugees arriving under the Government’s Gateway Protection Programme; which town councils have so far indicated acceptance; and of what numbers.

Lord Bates

Syrian refugees are brought to the United Kingdom as part of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme. This scheme has been expanded to resettle up to 20,000 Syrians in need of protection during this Parliament. This is in addition to those we resettle under the Gateway and Mandate schemes which are completely separate schemes.

Resettlement under the government schemes is voluntary on the part of local authorities. We are grateful to those who take on this role and will continue to work in partnership with them. We do not disclose the details of where refugees will be resettled upon their arrival in the UK under the Government resettlement schemes as this may undermine the privacy and recovery of this vulnerable group of people.