Scotland stands ready to take 3,000 Ukrainian refugees “as an immediate step”, Nicola Sturgeon has said as she called on the UK government to accelerate the numbers allowed into the country.
The First Minister restated her government’s offer to act as a “super sponsor” of Ukrainian refugees as Michael Gove confirmed that only 3,000 UK visas have been issued to Ukrainian family members over the last two week of conflict.
In a series of Sunday morning tweets, the SNP leader expressed her frustration that Gove's scheme set out for UK households to sponsor individual refugees to stay with them will be too slow and bureaucratic.
She wrote: “ While not for want of trying, we don’t yet know all details, I am worried that it will be slow and cumbersome (people will need sponsors arranged before entry to UK), lack proper support and safeguarding, and not be sustainable for length of time people may need to be here.”
“That is why the Scottish Government is offering to act as a ‘super sponsor’ . This would allow significant numbers to arrive here quickly and be temporarily accommodated while we work with local partners to arrange longer term housing (inc from volunteers) and arrange safeguarding and support.”
Sturgeon added: “I have said to UK government that we stand ready to welcome 3000 Ukrainians as an immediate step - and then at least a proportionate share of total coming to UK overall. What matters most is getting them here quickly, safely and with minimum bureaucracy and maximum support."
Both the Scottish and Welsh governments have offered to take large numbers of refugees quickly and to offer them temporary accommodation while homes are sought for them.
Labour’s Keir Starmer has described the government’s handling of refugees fleeing Ukraine as “an embarrassment for the United Kingdom”, Starmer said there should be no cap on the number of people the UK takes in.
He said: “We should provide sanctuary to all of those who are fleeing for their lives that want to come to the United Kingdom and play our full part.”
Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Minister in charge of the refugee dispersal scheme, said he expected the Government’s new sponsorship route will bring tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees to the UK.
But the first refugees making use of the Government’s sponsorship route to come to the UK will arrive in a week’s time”.
He told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “People can register their interest on Monday. Matching will be taking place from Friday. I would expect that in a week’s time we’ll see the first people coming here under the scheme.”
Householders will be paid £350 a month as a "thank you"for taking in refugees and Gove said local authority areas would be entitled to more than £10,000 per Ukrainian refugee.
A website will be open until the end of the week for sponsors to register their interest. The scheme allow individuals, charities, community groups and businesses to offer safety to Ukrainians, including those with no family ties to the UK.
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