ESOL Provision for Asylum Seekers in the UK
Bill Rammell, the minister for lifelong learning, further and higher education, argues that the withdrawal of funding for asylum seekers over the age of 19 is fair because almost 80% of claims are settled in eight weeks. He says that most reasonable people would support this, especially as over half the claims are unsuccessful.
That does leave the other 20% in the cold, and some of these claims can drag on for a long time. Would it not be equally reasonable, at the very least, to give funding to those asylum seekers whose claims pass the eight-week limit he uses? If eight weeks is a period he deems reasonable for an asylum decision, then when the government does not meet that, ESOL provision should be available.
I don't agree with the policy, but if it must be implemented, then those who fall outside the eight-week period, which would appear to be his idea of a satisfactory outcome, should not be penalised.
Categories: General
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