MPs criticise big cities for taking in too few refugees

BIRMINGHAM has taken in just 44 refugees from war-torn Syria, while nearby Coventry has housed 105 refugees – more than any other town or city.

But many other local councils have provided homes for no refugees at all.

And they have come under fire for “not pulling their weight” in the face of a huge refugee crisis.

A hard-hitting report by MPs said: “There is now a two-tier system among local authorities, with some providing support to Syrian refugees and others not doing so.”

An estimated 227,316 migrants fled to Europe by sea in the first half of 2016 alone, from countries such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

And former Prime Minister David Cameron promised last year that the UK would provide sanctuary for 20,000 Syrians fleeing a horrific civil war in their country, where the Russianbacked government of President Assad, terror group ISIS and other rebel factions are battling for control.

Birmingham City Council promised in April that it would resettle 500 Syrian refugees in the city.

And the Home Office has published figures showing where refugees have gone.

Apart from Coventry and Birmingham, the only West Midlands council to house refugees is Stafford, which provided homes for ten.

None of the Syrian refugees settled in the UK so far have been given homes in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, Wolverhampton or Solihull.

But some major cities in other parts of the country have helped more Syrian refugees.

Leeds has housed 50 and Newcastle has housed 50.

But Manchester has not resettled any of the Syrian refugees, and neither has Liverpool.

The Commons Home Affairs Committee, which includes Walsall North MP David Winnick (Lab), said in a report : “It is clear from the recently published statistics that more local authorities need to contribute to providing asylum accommodation, including for Syrian refugees.

“There is now a two-tier system among local authorities, with some providing support to Syrian refugees and others not doing so. A similar two-tier system applies in the level of support local authorities provide for other asylum-seekers.

“The Government needs to be much more proactive in encouraging a fair distribution of asylum seekers throughout the country.”