UK Government plan to almost double the number of asylum seekers dispersed to Wales
Siân Williams
The UK Home Office has a plan in place to almost double the number of asylum seekers dispersed to Wales whilst awaiting a decision on their asylum application, the Senedd has been told.
Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip Jane Hutt MS was updating the Senedd on Wales as a nation of sanctuary when she informed MSs of the plan.
In recent weeks, the UK Government has announced the closure of all Afghan bridging hotels and asylum contingency hotels and is instead planning to open large-scale asylum accommodation sites across the UK.
In relation to Afghanistan, Jane Hutt informed the Senedd that she expects the hotel closures to happen in late summer.
“We’re seeking urgent clarification on funding available for local government to meet this housing need. However, we are concerned that the UK Government has imposed an arbitrary deadline for hotel closures for those who supported our armed forces in Afghanistan.”
Ms Hutt also said she’s informed UK Government ministers that action is needed to increase the local housing allowance rates, and consider changes to the benefit cap to make rented accommodation more affordable.
Confirming she had also met with the UK Minister for Immigration, Robert Jenrick, she said: “I made it clear that the Welsh Government is opposed to the use of ships or military bases to accommodate asylum seekers in Wales,” she said.
“However, we are committed to finding solutions in the very challenging housing market that we currently have.”
Asylum applications
Since the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 was given Royal Assent, asylum application processing times have slowed considerably, “leaving many in limbo in our communities,” Ms Hutt said.
The Illegal Migration Bill is already making this even worse, she added, “by including a retrospective date of 7 March, by which almost all applications will be considered inadmissible.”
“This means that almost all of those arriving in the UK in the last 12 months are yet to have claims looked at by the Home Office,” she added.
“Each of those individuals are living in accommodation, unable to work, unable to deal with the trauma they have experienced, and unable to fully integrate with their communities.”
Wales has now welcomed around 800 people from Afghanistan and work continues to increase this further, she confirmed.
“We will do everything that we can to address and take forward our responsibilities, even though immigration isn’t devolved.”
Sudan
Due to recent fighting between two rival generals in the capital Khartoum, thousand of Sudanese people have also been displaced.
The minister said: “The UK Government Home Secretary has ruled out a refugee resettlement route. At the end of 2022, there were almost 5,000 Sudanese sanctuary seekers receiving support in the UK, including around 100 living in Wales.”
The majority of applications from Sudan were already granted prior to this outbreak of fighting, she said.
“So, we do urge UK Ministers to add Sudan as a country of origin eligible for the streamlined asylum process for those in the UK system.”
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Some cheek these Westminster types. Dispersal without adequate accommodation is a recipe for trouble. Large collections of young males at a loose end, no real income and nowt to do is hardly a constructive solution to a problem. We have a housing problem, so are these new faces destined to inhabit a grubby barge offshore or a derelict armed forces base out in the sticks? You can lay your last quid on a bet that they won’t be too close to the residence of a UK or Welsh government minister.
Asylum seekers want to go to England and only England. — for them if they know anything at all about Wales it’s a run down colonial backwater of a dying empire.
Plaid Cymru will be very happy about this. Unlike those who they want to vote for them.
Plaid wants an independent Wales which can offer visas for those who want to come and work and study here and to determine it’s own asylum processes Who knows we may refer asylum seekers to our neighbours to the east in the land where the moon rises