Home Office blocks Syrian pupil from going on primary school trip to Spain
A schoolboy could miss out on a school trip to Majorca with his classmates after being told by the Home Office he does not have the correct documents.
The P7 class at Canal View Primary in Edinburgh produced a stop motion film which won a Jet2 competition for a holiday to Sol Katmandu Park & Resort in Majorca.
Staff and parents at the school have been trying to complete passport applications, with the majority of the pupils never being on holiday before.
But 12-year-old Mohammed - a Syrian refugee who resettled in Scotland – will be unable to join his classmates after learning that applying for his travel documents could take up to three months.
This has prompted an intervention from the MP for Edinburgh South West Joanna Cherry QC, who raised the matter at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday in the House of Commons.
She said: “He’s been told by the Home Office that he can’t travel with his friends as he doesn’t have the proper documents.
“The Home Office say it will take three months for these documents to come through. Will the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary help me to cut through the red tape so this wee boy can go with his friends and enjoy the holiday of a lifetime?”
Prime Minister Theresa May responded: “I congratulate the primary school for winning this competition. The Home Secretary will look into this case.”
But with the flight to depart from Glasgow airport on 20 April there may not be enough time to secure Mohammed’s place on the two-night trip.
Canal View is one of nine centres throughout the UK to land the top prize which will see pupils take part in educational workshops with comedy double act Dick & Dom.
Ms Cherry said: “It is unacceptable that this young Syrian schoolboy will find himself excluded from joining his classmates on a dream holiday because of Home Office procedures.
“I was contacted by Canal View’s headteacher Ann Moore yesterday asking if there was anything which I could do to help. The school and the class are obviously devastated that Mohammed has been told he can’t join them on this holiday of a lifetime.
“It is terrible to think of the hardship this wee boy has overcome to get to Edinburgh and start a new life in safety.
“I’m delighted that the Prime Minister has indicated that the Home Secretary will look into this case and I shall make sure she does so urgently.”