SUELLA Braverman has been urged to help rehome refugees from war-torn Gaza.
Scotland’s Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville wrote to Braverman on Monday asking her to use the UK Government’s resettlement scheme to assist those fleeing the escalating conflict.
Somerville’s call comes as Israeli troops pushed deeper into the northern Gaza Strip amid continued airstrikes.
The Scottish Government has pledged £500,000 in humanitarian funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency to help displaced people in Gaza.
Somerville wrote: “Despite the horrific conditions we are seeing in Gaza, we know that many Palestinians will choose to stay, and they must be supported with humanitarian aid to do so.
“However, there will also be some who want to leave. The Scottish Government has called upon the international community to commit to a refugee resettlement programme.
“In the past, people across Scotland and the UK have opened up their hearts and communities to welcome those from Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and many other countries. We are ready to do so again.
“I call on the UK Government to use the already established UK Resettlement Scheme, which works with the UN High Commission for Refugees, to allow a route to safety for the most vulnerable such as children and families, those with severe health needs, and those with links to residents in Scotland."
Somerville added: "Applying the UK Resettlement Scheme will ensure that all needs are fully understood in advance, with arrangements, including accommodation, in place for people to begin their new lives immediately.
"It will also ensure that local government is provided with the long term resource that is required to support people effectively."
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The UK is committed to supporting those directly from regions of conflict and instability.
“Since 2015 we have offered a safe and legal route to the UK to over half a million people seeking safety but our approach must be considered in the round, rather than on a crisis-by-crisis basis.”
