Refugee policy amounts to an excuse list, MHK says

About 150 people from Ukraine were supported on island

A new government refugee policy is an "excuse list" that does not move the Isle of Man's stance forward, an MHK has said.

Tynwald members debated the Refugee Policy Statement during January’s sitting, after members agreed a "transparent and updated plan" on the acceptance of people fleeing warzones should be created in April 2022.

Michelle Haywood MHK said it was "100 vague reasons" why the island would not develop "a workable policy", rather than a document that considered resources and created a resettlement pathway.

But Cabinet Office Minister Kate Lord-Brennan said the statement was "well thought out" and gave the Council of Ministers a framework to work to.

The report said "due to it's relationship with the UK", asylum applications could not be processed on the island and further consideration would be given to "assess the feasibility" of being part of the other jurisdiction's resettlement scheme.

It outlined that the island's capacity to provide access to education, housing and medical care should be considered when activating a response to support displaced people.

The statement also confirmed that Isle of Man Homes for Ukraine Scheme supported about 150 displaced people following the conflict with Russia, with an operating cost of more than £240,000.

'Missed opportunity'

Calling on members to reject the policy, Joney Faragher MHK, said ministers had not done "what they were asked to do" and it was "immeasurably diminishing and disempowering" that the language used "tried to feign powerlessness on the part of our proud country".

Meanwhile, Dr Haywood said it had been a "missed opportunity" to create a scheme to accept refugees "within our own capacity".

But Ms Lord-Brennan said she had given "no undertaking" that there would be resettlement scheme put in place when during the previous debate in April 2022.

She said the policy should be "safe and successful" and had take into consideration what was "in the interest of the Isle of Man and the capacity and capability of government to cope to support any refugees coming here".

While Ms Faragher had called for Tynwald members to reject the document, politicians ultimately backed an amendment by Ms Lord-Brennan to receive the Refugee Policy Statement and Report 2023.