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Number of Leeds asylum seekers falls to 1,350
THE number of asylum seekers living in Leeds has fallen by a third, new figures have revealed.
There were 1,350 asylum seekers housed in National Asylum Support Service accommodation in the city in March of this year - down from 2,015 in March 2007. Another 105 asylum seekers were receiving "subsistence only" support from NASS – marginally down on the 110 who were being helped in 2007.
Leeds East Labour MP George Mudie welcomed the figures.
He has long argued that the government's dispersing of asylum seekers across the country has been uneven and has resulted in Leeds being burdened with a higher share than other areas.
He said that even within Leeds the inner city areas have received an unfair number compared to the suburbs.
He said: "I am delighted the national figures have gone down.
"We have been arguing that Leeds has been taking more than its fair share.
"We all accept genuine asylum seekers and we should not object to them but where they have not spread unevenly across the country there has potentially been a problem."
Immigration minister Liam Byrne said asylum applications to the UK were falling.
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Weather for Leeds
Friday 25 May 2012
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