Bishop criticises 'double standard' of refugee care

By Luke Coppen A BISHOP has accused the Government of "double standards" over its treatment of refugees.
Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue, chairman of the bishops' conference conunittee for migrants, said this week that the Government was unfairly privileging Kosovar refugees while other refugees, fleeing similar persecution, are to have all benefits withdrawn under tough new asylum legislation.
Bishop O'Donoghue said: "The Kosovar refugees will have direct access to welfare and the right to work. They will have the status of 'exceptional leave to remain'.
"You have a two-tier system. That's a double standard of discrimination against the refugees and asylum seekers here already. The majority of refugees and asylum seekers are people who have suffered persecution, many as bad as the Kosovars under Milosevic."
The bishop's comments came as MPs studied new immigration legislation which will remove refugees' rights to welfare benefits and withdraw the duty of local authorities to support destitute refugees.
The Church is concerned that the legislation will rob refugees of their human dignity. Last month the bishops issued a four point critique, warning that the new laws "will strengthen the existing barriers preventing asylum seekers who need to escape from their countries of persecution". They were especially critical of a plan to replace cash benefits for refugees with a voucher system.
The Government is proposing to replace benefit payments with a new "support package", including food and accommodation vouchers. The total package will be worth about £90 for a four member family per week. A spokeswoman for the Home Office said this week that the Government also planned to introduce a daily cash allowance of £1 for adults and 50 pence for each child.
Bishop O'Donoghue welcomed the move, but said it did not go far enough. "I don't think it's adequate at all," he said. "In the long run I would say that the cheapest and best way supporting asylum seekers is a return to the welfare benefits system." The bishop's claim was supported by Michael Feeney, director of Westminster Diocese Refugee Services. Mr Feeney said: "It's absolutely outrageous to expect adults to live on a pound of cash a day.
"This whole legislation is about creating disincentives for people to come here to seek protection from persecution. The Government believes our benefit system is a pull factor. They have never provided evidence for it, Asylum seekers come here because they need protection. When the last Government withdrew benefits to asylum seekers the numbers didn't go down."
The Asylum and Immigration Bill entered its committee stage on Wednesday. It will go to the House of Lords in June, before returning the Commons for a third and final reading.