24 Apr THE Former Justice Secretary says the Government needs to move asylum seekers out of hotels
THE Former Justice Secretary says the Government needs to move asylum seekers out of hotels and should consider putting them work in local communities.
Robert Buckland’s Swidon constituency has five hotels currently occupied by asylum seekers, but he says many end up working on the black market.
Calling a fresh-approach, Mr Buckland also refused to confirm whether he’d back the Government’s Immigration Bill next week.
Speaking to Gloria De Piero on GB News he said: “Swindon has a proud history of welcoming and accepting asylum seekers and we have local charities that do great work. But whilst we’re prepared to do our bit, I think it’s really important people don’t presume or abuse the hospitality we have, which is why it was very important to me the Home Office gave me an undertaking they wouldn’t increase the number of hotels in our local area and would work very hard to resettle, particularly our Afghan guests who want to be able to settle in the UK and who’ve left real persecution.
“Some of them are going on the black market and working for half the minimum wage. Why aren’t we honest about it and actually get them into work? Get them registered so we know who they are, where they are, you know paying a contribution towards their keep. I think that’s common sense and I think we should be doing much more of that.
“I think we’ve got to move people out of hotels. Let’s face it, there are legitimate businesses that could be serving the tourist industry.
Commenting on next week’s Illegal Immigration Bill, which is back in the House of Commons he said: “I need to see exactly what the amendments are, and what proposals will come forward. I hope that the Government is listening to the point that I and others are making about the need to do everything at the same time. So whilst, I think a crackdown on illegal migration is perfectly fair and proper, at the same time, we need to know what those safe and legal routes the Government wants to adopt are going to be, and what they look like. I think that will certainly impress me and others who have expressed concerns about this. I’ll be more than happy to engage with colleagues on this issue in the days ahead.”
Meanwhile, Mr Buckland also spoke movingly about a campaign he has launched to help those living with autism. The ex-Cabinet Minister’s daughter has the condition and he is now behind a drive to ensure more autistic men and women are able to find work.
He said: “Like many parents, many families, we’ve been through the journey of, first of all, identifying the issue, trying to get help, trying to get a diagnosis. And then working our way through the system, which was a challenge for us and is a huge challenge for many, many families across the country. I think people are very much aware of autism, but we’ve still got a long way to go in terms of provision both for children and indeed opportunities for adults in employment. And as my child grows into adulthood, like any parent, we ask the question, ‘what’s going to happen next?’ and ‘what will happen after we are gone?’
“All these questions wake you up in the middle of the night, and therefore I thought using those experiences was really the least I could do as an MP. And therefore I chair the All Party Group on Autism and now I’m leading a review for the Government into opportunities for employment and increased employment for autistic people. Because the figures are shockingly low. Only two out of 10 adults, autistic adults have a job.
“We’ve got to work with business and industry to remove some of those obvious stumbling blocks.
“I think there’s a worry that somehow there’s a risk employing autistic people, that there will be a problem in terms of attendance or reliability. Nothing could be further from the truth. Companies that are employing autistic people are reporting huge benefits from different ways of thinking.”
