Cornwall Council waits for more information on how it can help Afghan refugees
Officials say they have asked the Home Office for more details on how the authority can play a part
Last updated 19th Aug 2021
Cornwall Council says that it is waiting to hear from the Home Office about what help it could provide to Afghan refugees.
Local authorities across the country have stepped forward and offered to help resettle Afghan families who have helped support British forces.
Councils, including Colchester Borough Council in Essex, have confirmed that they are working with the Home Office to help resettle Afghan interpreters and support staff.
When asked, Cornwall Council said that it was waiting for information about how it could help those in need.
News websites and papers have been dominated by images from Afghanistan of people trying to flee the country after the Taliban took control of the capital Kabul at the weekend.
The UN has warned that hundreds of thousands of people were trying to leave the country due to serious violations of human rights.
In a statement Cornwall Council said: “The Afghanistan resettlement scheme is a new request that is being made by the Home Office to local councils across the country. We await more information about how Cornwall can play its part in helping those in need".
The Local Government Association said that councils across the country would be ready to provide assistance.
Cllr James Jamieson, Chairman of the Local Government Association, which represents councils across England and Wales, said: “We are all saddened to see the tragic scenes from Afghanistan and our hearts go out to the Afghan people facing this humanitarian crisis. Councils have a proud history of supporting efforts to protect and support refugees and want to support the resettlement of those fleeing Afghanistan.
“They stand ready to work with government to design any new resettlement scheme, so it ensures new arrivals get the support they need to settle into their new communities and considers ongoing pressures from other existing schemes".
On Wednesday MPs were recalled to the House of Commons to debate the current situation in Afghanistan and the UK’s response.
Among them was St Ives MP Derek Thomas, who said on his Facebook page ahead of the debate: “The pace of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is a shock to everyone. There are families here in West Cornwall who lost loved ones protecting Afghans from the Taliban, and soldiers who were seriously wounded, and we cannot let their sacrifices go in vain.
“There have been many gains in Afghanistan over the last twenty years – removing eight million mines, educating ten million Afghan children, preventing the use of the country as a base for terrorism – and we must hold on to these gains.
“We also need to do everything we can to relocate British nationals and Afghans who loyally worked for our forces and who may be in danger from the Taliban.
"The Government has announced a settlement scheme which will allow up to 20,000 vulnerable Afghan refugees to seek sanctuary here in addition to those men and women who risked their lives aiding coalition troops such as interpreters etc.
“Parliament has been recalled to discuss the situation, and I am on my way to Westminster to hear from Government what further support and aid can be provided to help the Afghan people.
“We must use our G7 presidency to hold the Taliban to account using sanctions and diplomatic measures, together with our international and regional allies".
You can watch Boris Johnson's response during an emergency debate in Parliament and read his full statement at the link below...