Home Secretary’s proposals a “vindication” of campaign for asylum justice but T&G warn against “plastic” voucher schemes

Transport and General Workers Union 29 - 10 - 01

Commenting on the Home Secretary’s announcement today that the controversial voucher scheme would be scrapped and that the dispersal scheme for asylum seekers would be amended, Bill Morris, T&G general secretary said:

“Today’s proposals are a vindication of the T&G’s campaign for a more humane way to deal with people seeking refuge in this country. The government has accepted that the voucher scheme is unfair, ineffective and divisive and that the dispersal scheme is a shambles.

“But it must now also demonstrate that it has learned from the mistakes of the current policy - that is that an asylum policy that is not based on dignity and economic freedom will fail both asylum seekers and communities.

“In moving forward, the government must ensure that its programme is under-pinned by social justice. We would not want to exchange the paper voucher for a plastic voucher, which would retain all the problems of stigmatisation and division of the present system. Nor would we wish to see the new approach be just a quick fix to use the system to trampoline asylum seekers around a series of centres before bouncing them out of the country.

“We will carefully consider the White Paper and urge the government to develop its proposals in full consultation with the coalition of experts that came together to press for better treatment for asylum seekers”.

ENDS

For further information contact Pauline Doyle on 01273 776 590 or 07976 832 861