PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
BENEFITS TO ASYLUM-SEEKERS (1 December 1997)

That this House notes that the majority of asylum-seekers, legitimately pursuing their claims for refugee status under British law, were denied access to welfare benefits by legislation passed in July 1996, that since this date the majority of asylum-seekers have been dependent on local authorities providing them with shelter and food vouchers, that research shows that such asylum-seekers are surviving on the equivalent of ú2 per day, that the costs which local authorities have had to absorb as a result of establishing new administrative mechanisms and supporting asylum-seekers are not being adequately compensated for from central government, that the costs have fallen disproportionately upon those local authorities with major ports or airports where asylum-seekers arrive rather than being a shared national expense to meet our obligations under international conventions on refugees, and that these disproportionate burdens on particular authorities are being exploited to stir up racism against refugees and asylum-seekers; and believes therefore that as a matter of urgency the Government should overturn those provisions of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 which withdrew the entitlement to state benefits and housing from asylum-seekers.

Sponsored by:
Ms Diane Abbott (Labour)