New asylum seeker forum holds first meeting

The Scottish Refugee Integration Forum met for the first time in
Glasgow this week in a bid to bring together Scotland’s
statutory and voluntary agencies.

The Scottish executive set up forum, and it is chaired by
minister for social justice Iain Gray. It will have a number of
roles: to consider how to assist refugees to integrate into life in
Scotland; to feed into the National Refugee Integration Forum about
experiences in Scotland; to collect good practice and to play a key
role in promoting positive images of refugees.

Gray said: “There have clearly been problems in the past as
asylum seekers and refugees have settled into their host
communities. However I am committed to ensuring that we in Scotland
continue with our strong tradition of welcoming and integrating
asylum seekers and refugees fleeing from oppression and
persecution.”