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| Syria refugees: Minister refuses to give MPs UK numbers | Syria refugees: Minister refuses to give MPs UK numbers |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Minister for refugees Richard Harrington has refused to tell MPs how many Syrian refugees are in Britain. | Minister for refugees Richard Harrington has refused to tell MPs how many Syrian refugees are in Britain. |
| He told the chair of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Keith Vaz, that he knew the total so far, but was not prepared to give a "running commentary" on refugee numbers. | He told the chair of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Keith Vaz, that he knew the total so far, but was not prepared to give a "running commentary" on refugee numbers. |
| He also said the next figures are due to be published at the end of November. | He also said the next figures are due to be published at the end of November. |
| Mr Vaz said he would write to the prime minister to obtain the number because of Mr Harrington's failure to answer. | Mr Vaz said he would write to the prime minister to obtain the number because of Mr Harrington's failure to answer. |
| He also told Mr Harrington it was "unsatisfactory" that he would not divulge the number of Syrians who have come to the UK. | He also told Mr Harrington it was "unsatisfactory" that he would not divulge the number of Syrians who have come to the UK. |
| The government's Vulnerable People Relocation Scheme, launched in January 2014, has seen at least 216 Syrians come to Britain, according to the last published figures. | |
| But Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that 20,000 refugees would be brought from refugee camps in countries bordering Syria into the UK by 2020. | |
| When asked about the refugee numbers, Mr Harrington said: "It's my job to know and it's my job to make sure that the flow of refugees under this humanitarian system is to be greatly increased. | When asked about the refugee numbers, Mr Harrington said: "It's my job to know and it's my job to make sure that the flow of refugees under this humanitarian system is to be greatly increased. |
| "I would say the pace people are arriving is much the same as it's been over the last few months, and now it's gathering traction. | |
| "I'm very happy to be judged on the numbers when the scheme that the prime minister announced and I'm putting in place comes into fruition." | |
| Migrant crisis | |
| What awaits refugees coming to the UK? | |
| The refugees preparing for UK life | |
| The children smuggled into the UK | |
| EU migration: Crisis in graphics | |
| The government has previously said it has been at the forefront of the global response to the crisis in Syria, a result of a civil war between the government led by President Assad and various rebel groups. | The government has previously said it has been at the forefront of the global response to the crisis in Syria, a result of a civil war between the government led by President Assad and various rebel groups. |
| In addition to offering to accept 20,000 refugees, the UK has provided £1bn in aid to Syria, with an extra £100m given to charities to help thousands of people displaced by the conflict. | |
| Mr Harrington said "three or four" local authorities had taken Syrians, since David Cameron announced the UK would take people from camps. |