§ Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what direct or indirect Government help has been made available to Chilean families who have recently settled on Merseyside; and how many have been afforded council housing.
§ Mr. KaufmanLast year the British Council for Aid to Refugees, in association with other voluntary bodies, set up a joint working group, which is acting as the central point for making arrangements for the reception and resettlement of refugees from Chile, and the Government have made a number of small grants to the council to support this work. Refugees from Chile, on Merseyside as elsewhere, may seek help from the range of services which are normally available through local and central Government. The allocation of council houses is by statute a matter for the local authorities. My information is that none has so far been allocated to Chilean refugees who have recently settled on Merseyside; but that only a few have gone there.