Home Office apologise for 'short notice' in Afghan placements

Mr Dennett said the "crumbling system" for resettlement needed "serious reform"

The government has written to a council to apologise after more than 100 Afghan refugees were placed in a city hotel "at short notice".

Salford Mayor Paul Dennett said the council was given less than 24 hours of the refugees' arrival, who came to the UK after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August.

He told a council meeting that the situation was repeated a week later.

The Home Office said councils were notified "at the earliest opportunity".

Addressing the city council on 15 September, Mr Dennett said Salford welcomed the government's decision to support Afghans in finding "a new home in the UK", but the "crumbling system" for resettlement of refugees and asylum seekers needed "serious reform".

The Labour mayor said there was a "huge burden on local services" and six Greater Manchester hotels were being used to house Afghan refugees, with a further two already accommodating asylum seekers.

'Grateful'

He said Salford was housing 833 asylum seekers, which was taking up 38% of its temporary accommodation, and the wider Greater Manchester area was accommodating about 6,000 people, between 14% to 16% of all asylum seekers in the UK.

He added that the situation was due to the Home Office giving contracts to private companies.

"Big providers procure accommodation... in the cheapest and often poorest areas of the country," he said.

"We are shouldering a hugely disproportionate share of responsibility for housing those in need.

"This situation is not fair on all concerned and certainly not on the Afghan people arriving in the UK."

Asked about the apology, a Home Office spokesman said the department "always aim to get in touch with local authorities at the earliest opportunity".

"We are grateful to local authorities currently supporting Afghans to make a new home in the UK and encourage all authorities to offer further assistance."

The department has been asked to comment on Mr Dennett's statement.

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