UK Government faces call to show 'more humanity' to Syrian refugees

credit - Press Association

More needs to be done to help keep families together after fleeing from Syria, a charity working with refugees in Scotland has said.

Migrant Voice stated that many Syrians are struggling to bring close relatives to the UK lawfully.

The Home Office said the UK had a "proud record" on granting asylum and more than 22,000 family reunion visas were granted over the past five years.

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However, Migrant Voice called on the UK Government to treat refugees "more humanely" and to allow their family members to settle with them.

Nazek Ramadan, the director of Migrant Voice, said: "We're calling on the government to treat people with refugee status more humanely.

"Tens or even hundreds of refugees are struggling to bring their families in.

"The government is investing lots of time and energy and resources to try and assist Syrians to integrate into the UK but most Syrians cannot integrate if their families are still at war."

Earlier this month, the Scottish government announced Scotland had accepted 1,000 refugees in the last year.

Angela Constance, Scotland’s cabinet secretary for communities and equalities, said the concerns of Migrant Voice were "very real".

"I myself have written to the Home Office with the Scottish government's concerns about the family reunion process," she said.

"We have to be in the business of keeping families together so we are calling on the UK government to revisit and revise the guidelines of the family reunion programme."

The Home Office, in response, said "The UK has a proud history of granting asylum to those who genuinely need it, and every case is carefully considered on its individual merits.

"Our refugee family reunion policy allows a spouse or partner and children under the age of 18 of those granted refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK to reunite with them here, providing they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country of origin.

"More than 22,000 family reunion visas have been granted under this policy over the past five years - reuniting many refugees with their immediate family."