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Gateway Protection Programme

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The Gateway Protection Programme is a scheme operated by the UK Border Agency in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), offering a legal route for a quota of UNHCR-identified refugees to settle in the United Kingdom. The programme was established in March 2004 with a quota of 500 refugees per year, later increased to 750, but the actual number of refugees resettled in each year has been fewer than the quota permitted. Liberian, Congolese, Sudanese, Burmese, Ethiopian, Mauritanian and Iraqi refugees have been resettled under the programme.

Programme details

The programme is the UK's "quota refugee" resettlement scheme.[1] Refugees designated as particularly vulnerable by the UNHCR are assessed for eligibility under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees by the Home Office and if they meet the criteria are brought to the UK and granted indefinite leave to remain.[1][2][3] The International Organization for Migration helps facilitate pre-departure medical screening, counselling, dossier preparation, transport and immediate arrival assistance.[4] Once in the UK, refugees are entered into a 12-month support programme which aims to aid their integration.[1] The programme involves local authorities and NGOs[1] including the British Red Cross, the International Rescue Committee, Migrant Helpline, Refugee Action, the Refugee Arrivals Project, the Refugee Council, Scottish Refugee Council and Refugee Support.[5][6] These organisations have formed the Resettlement Inter-Agency Partnership in order to pool their resources.[5]

The programme is distinct from and in addition to ordinary provisions for claiming asylum in the United Kingdom.[7]

History

Burmese refugees in a camp in Thailand

A new resettlement programme was proposed by the then British Home Secretary, David Blunkett, in October 2001.[8] The legal basis for the programme's funding was established by Section 59 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.[1][8] The Gateway Protection Programme was subsequently established in March 2004.[9] Initially, the programme quota was set at 500 per year.[1] The British government has faced criticism over the small number of refugees it has resettled in comparison with other developed states.[10] For example, in 2001 the countries with the largest quota schemes were the United States (80,000 refugees), Canada (11,000) and Australia (10,000).[5][8] Initially, David Blunkett had intended to raise the quota to 1,000 in the second year of the programme's operation, but local councils' reluctance to participate in the scheme meant that it was slow to take off.[11][12][13] In the 2008/09 financial year, the quota was increased to 750 refugees per year.[1]

The Gateway Protection Programme is not the first British refugee resettlement programme. Other, informal, resettlement programmes include the the Mandate Refugee Scheme and the Ten or More Plan.[5] Refugees have also been resettled through specific programmes following emergencies. For example, 42,000 Ugandan Asians expelled from Uganda during 1972–74, 22,500 Vietnamese during 1979–92, over 2,500 Bosnians in the 1990s, and over 4,000 Kosovars in 1999.[5]

Refugees resettled under the programme

Year Quota Refugees resettled[14]
2004 500 150
2005 500 50
2006 500 355
2007 500 485

The number of refugees resettled under the programme has been consistently under the quota.[14][15] Refugees resettled have included Liberians from Guinea and Sierra Leone, Congolese from Uganda and Zambia, Sudanese from Uganda, Burmese from Thailand, Ethiopians from Kenya, and Mauritanians from Senegal.[16] Provision has been made for 1,000 Iraqi refugees to be resettled in the UK between 1 April 2008 and the end of March 2010. In 2008, 236 Iraqis were resettled and as of 18 May, a further 212 had been resettled in 2009.[17]

Resettlement locations

The first refugees resettled under the programme were housed in Sheffield.[11] Others have been housed in cities and towns including Hull, Norwich, Bolton, Rochdale, Motherwell and Brighton and Hove.[1][9][18][19][20] In 2007, North Lanarkshire Council won the "Creating Integrated Communities" category in the UK Housing Awards for its involvement in the Gateway Protection Programme.[21][22] As of March 2009, a total of 15 local authorities were participating in the programme.[23]

Programme evalutation

In February 2009, the Home Office published a report evaluating the effectiveness of the Gateway Protection Programme. The research it was based upon focused on refugees' integration into British society in the 18 months following their resettlement.[1] The research found that refugees showed signs of integration, including the formation of social bonds through community groups and places of worship. The report noted that low employment rates and slow progress with acquiring English language skills were particular concerns. Younger refugees and children had made the most progress.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Evans, Olga (February 2009). "The Gateway Protection Programme: An evaluation" (PDF). Home Office Research Report. 12. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "Gateway Protection Programme: Good Practice Guide" (PDF). Refugee Council and Refugee Action. 2008. p. 8. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  3. ^ "Leave to remain". UK Border Agency. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  4. ^ "United Kingdom". International Organization for Migration. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Resettling to the UK: The Gateway Protection Programme". Refugee Council Briefing. Refugee Council. October 2004. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  6. ^ Rutter, Jill (October 2007). From Refugee to Citizen: 'Standing On My Own Two Feet' – A Research Rport on Integration, 'Britishness' and Citizenship (PDF). London: Refugee Support. p. 24. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "Gateway Protection Programme". UK Border Agency. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
  8. ^ a b c "Understanding Resettlement to the UK: A Guide to the Gateway Protection Programme". Refugee Council on behalf of the Resettlement Inter-Agency Partnership. June 2004. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  9. ^ a b Hynes, Patricia (2008). "To Sheffield with love" (PDF). Forced Migration Review. 30: 49–51. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Cooley, Laurence. "Turned away? Towards better protection for refugees fleeing violent conflict". Public Policy Research. 14 (3): 176–180. doi:10.1111/j.1744-540X.2007.00485.x. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ a b Travis, Alan (2004-10-04). "Blunkett refugee plan misfires". The Guardian. p. 6. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  12. ^ Travis, Alan (2005-05-17). "Burmese reach UK in refugee scheme". The Guardian. p. 9. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  13. ^ Taylor, Amy (2006-01-19). "Few councils take up UN scheme". Community Care. p. 8. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  14. ^ a b "Asylum statistics United Kingdom 2007" (PDF). Home Office Statistical Bulletin. 11/08: 87. 2008-08-21. Data rounded to nearest 5 people.
  15. ^ Sulaiman, Tosin (2006-06-20). "Seeking refuge for war victims". The Times. p. 5 (Public Agenda supplement). Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  16. ^ Foreign and Commonwealth Office (2008). Human Rights Annual Report 2007. Norwich: The Stationery Office. p. 95. ISBN 0101734026.
  17. ^ http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090602/text/90602w0019.htm. Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 2009-06-02. col. 358W. {{cite book}}: |chapter-url= missing title (help)
  18. ^ Seith, Emma (2008-10-03). "Refugees now talking with Scottish accents". The Times Educational Supplement. p. 4. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  19. ^ "'New life' for Congolese family". BBC News. 2007-02-07. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  20. ^ "Refugees and asylum seekers in Brighton & Hove". Brighton & Hove City Council. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  21. ^ "North Lanarkshire Council: Gateway Protection Programme" (PDF). UK Housing Awards. 2007. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  22. ^ "High praise for refugee housing programme". Evening Times. 2007-11-27. p. 22. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  23. ^ Moving On Together: Government's Recommitment to Supporting Refugees. London: UK Border Agency. March 2009. ISBN 9781847268655. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
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