Tony Lloyd: 'Too many asylum seekers' in Greater Manchester, says mayor

Tony Lloyd supports those seeking aid but says there are a disproportionate number in Greater Manchester

The government must re-think the way asylum seekers are processed as "too many" are being housed in Greater Manchester, the interim mayor has said.

Home Office figures show 5,143 in the first quarter of the year - more than six times the number in London.

Tony Lloyd criticised the government's "spectacular inability" to manage their dispersal across the country.

The Home Office said people seeking aid were housed "where there is available and appropriate accommodation".

The total number of asylum seekers who were housed in London while their cases were being assessed for the same time period was 823.

There were 706 across the South West and 305 in the South East.

Mr Lloyd said: "The need to give asylum is well established but what is unfair is the incompetence of central government in the way they've placed asylum seekers in this country so that some areas are receiving significant numbers.

"Those numbers put pressure on local schools, local health resources.

"It's not the asylum seekers' fault, but the fault of the Home Office's spectacular inability to manage this process in a way that's fair.

"The process of dispersal should be one that recognises proper capacity."

The Home Office said: "Agreements between the government and local authorities are voluntary and have been in place since 2000.

"We review this regularly, working closely with local authorities to ensure that the impact of asylum dispersals are considered and acted upon.

"This includes monitoring existing arrangements and the impact on local services and community cohesion."