Western Isles to accept Syrian refugees

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is part of a UK-wide programme to house refugees

Syrian refugees are to be re-homed in the Western Isles, the local council has confirmed.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (the Western Isles Council) said two families would arrive in the spring, with a total of "five or six" families settling in their area this year.

A meeting of agencies in the Western Isles has taken place to prepare for the refugees' arrival.

The council stressed that there will be no additional costs to its budget.

Funding from the UK's international aid budget has been made available to councils to help them house refugees from Syria.

Council spokesman Nigel Scott said: "The financing of this will not fall on local authorities. The first year is met from the UK overseas development budget.

"We are taking two families in the spring and five or six in total this year.

"We have not identified the permanent accommodation needed or the families yet."

The first Syrian refugee flight arrived in Scotland in November 2015.

Of the initial group of 1,000 refugees accepted in the UK, Scotland agreed to take 350.