§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance his Department is providing to enable local authorities to play a major role in the resettlement of Vietnamese refugees.
§ Mr. WaddingtonLocal authorities already play a major part in the settlement of Vietnamese refugees, in the provision of housing, education and other services. Home Office assistance in resettlement of Vietnamese refugees has been provided through our funding of education for refugees in reception centres and of the refugee agencies. Agency staff, as well as assisting the Vietnamese directly, are also helping local authorities— and others— with interpretation and advice on the refugees' cultural background.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will provide special assistance for those local authorities which have within their areas a small number of Vietnamese refugees, in view of their dispersed and isolated position in the community.
§ Mr. WaddingtonThe special funding which the Home Office has made available to the refugee organisations has enabled their staff to pay particular attention to the problems facing Vietnamese families and local authorities in those areas where there are only small numbers of Vietnamese settled. In some cases, the agencies have helped families to move to parts of the country where there are larger Vietnamese communities.