Ulster Unionist MP, Danny Kinahan has said we must do all we can to support Syrian refugees.

Today in the House of Commons, Danny Kinahan MP and Tom Elliott MP voted in support of an amendment to the Children and Social Work Bill to require local authorities to report their capacity to resettle children, including refugees.

Danny Kinahan MP said:

“The Syrian conflict and the refugee crisis which has emerged from it is one of the greatest challenges facing us today.

“We welcome the role the United Kingdom has played committing £2.3 billion in aid and agreeing to resettle 20,000 vulnerable refugees, plus an additional 3,000 child refugees to be taken directly from the camps in the Middle East and North Africa.

“There are no easy solutions, however it has always been our view that the focus should be on helping those in the region who are in the most immediate need.

“Last May, we supported a revised amendment to the Immigration Bill which committed the UK to take unaccompanied children from Europe, commonly referred to as the Dubs scheme.

“The Dubs scheme was closed by the Home Secretary last month when concerns were raised by French authorities that it was serving as a pull factor and bolstering human traffickers.

“Such claims must be taken seriously, though we must also continue to do all we can to help the most vulnerable, including unaccompanied children.

“On this basis, I was happy to support the amendment today which called on local authorities to review and report their capacity to resettle refugee children.

“We must all do our fair share, including in Northern Ireland, to support those fleeing conflict and strife.”