Posted on 2013-09-28 | 10:11

Roger has written to David Cameron to express his support for the UK’s £400 million aid programme to help Syrian refugees. Roger urged the Prime Minister to take all possible action to protect people who are caught in the horrors of the conflict, including by improving conditions for the small number of Syrian refugees living in the UK.

Roger said: “I am pleased that the UK is the second largest donor of aid to Syrian refugees, but we should be doing more. I have written to the Prime Minister to urge him to do all that is possible to help people, including by improving conditions for the small number of Syrian refugees living in the UK.”

Roger, who is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Syria, continued: “I am very worried by reports from constituents that there are Syrian refugees living in extreme poverty in Birmingham. People who work in voluntary organisations such as food and clothing banks have informed me that they have helped Syrians whose only property is the clothes they are wearing, even though they have leave to remain and are entitled to Government support. I believe that this is because there is a gap, sometimes of several months, during which people have been granted refugee status but have not starting receiving support.”

Roger has called on the Prime Minister to take action to ensure that refugees are not left destitute in a country which has acknowledged their right to support. He said: “It seems to me to be rather ridiculous, as well as cruel, for a country which provides such generous aid to Syrian people living elsewhere to condemn those few refugees who are in this country to destitution and want, even temporarily."

Roger said: "There needs to be a negotiated end to the conflict as soon as possible so that the on-going suffering of the Syrian people can be ended and they can start to rebuild their lives. This will also enable the refugees to return to their homes in Syria."

You can read Roger’s letter to the Prime Minister here.