Shadow Social Justice Minister and North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has called on the Welsh Government to ensure that legitimate hosts wanting to provide sanctuary for Ukrainian refugees in their homes receive the support they need.
Responding to Tuesday afternoon’s Statement by the Minister for Social Justice ‘Update on Ukraine’ in the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood said it is important that safeguarding issues are “balanced against the need to support legitimate hosts in their genuine desire to provide sanctuary for Ukrainian refugees in their homes”.
He also called for clarity on the number of Ukrainians who have arrived in Wales and referred to the work of ‘Link International’ and its Ukrainian Link Programme in North Wales.
He said:
“Following my introduction of ‘Link International’ to you, I am pleased that the charity and its Ukrainian Link Programme is now working with North Wales local authorities in collaboration with other statutory agencies and the Welsh Government, and bringing together community and faith groups and third sector organisations, to support Ukrainians arriving in North Wales.
“When I attended their ‘North Wales Ukrainian Response’ zoom meeting yesterday, we heard that Although 256 visas had been issued for North Wales, applications had only been received for 60 Ukrainians in 30 host homes and 150 in the region’s Welcome Centre.
“What, therefore, is your understanding of the reason for the gap between numbers of Visas issued, numbers of applications received and numbers then arriving – and what evidence do you have for this? Further, what discussions are you having with Lord Harrington (the UK Minister for Refugees) regarding this and the ways to address it?”
He added:
“I received an email from a constituent last week asking for assistance for Ukrainians and their UK hosts in Flintshire.
“This states ‘The Homes for Ukraine scheme is classifying Ukrainians as GUESTS. The guidance is clear! Asking a newborn 53 questions for security reasons is clearly stating how above and beyond this all is. Now having a Local Authority claiming to apply 'foster care' checks and FULL PRIVACY WAIVERS from UK hosts and their Ukrainian guests for GP documentation, full Social Media and Search Engine History including storage for 10 years … is a disaster! I urge you to stop this immediately, where hosts have been feeling 'threatened' and 'overrun' with not being approved as hosts if they do not comply’.
“Is the process for host applicants and their Ukrainian guests described by my constituent therefore determined by the UK Government, the Welsh Government or individual Local Authorities, and how will you ensure that the need for safeguarding is balanced against the need to support legitimate hosts in their genuine desire to provide sanctuary for Ukrainian refugees in their homes?”
Mr Isherwood also asked the Minister how the Welsh Government is engaging with anti-human trafficking organisations working on the ground with Ukrainian refugees in the countries they have crossed into, where ‘the most vulnerable people are displaced people’.