New asylum seeker forum holds first meeting

January 22, 2002 in Asylum and refugees, Social care leaders

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.”