[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Around one in three schoolchildren in Britain's 'asylum capital' do not speak English as their first language, data has shown.
Scottish Government figures show 28.8 per cent of students in Glasgow speak English as an additional language (EAL). It is the highest figure than anywhere else in the country, which led one Scottish politician to describe the figure as 'staggering'.
Of the 71,957 students in schools in Glasgow, 20,717 are EAL learners, according to the figures from last September. That is a rise of a third since 2019 (22.5 per cent). It is believed the increase is partly due to a more precise recording of students, reported The Telegraph.
Glasgow was recently branded the 'asylum capital' of the UK after figures showed it housed the highest proportion of asylum seekers of any local authority - 65 per 10,000 residents, totalling 4,023. It has also begun attracting homeless refugees from other UK cities including Belfast, Birmingham, and London.
Stephen Kerr, a Tory MSP, said: 'The statistics for English as an additional language pupils in Glasgow are truly staggering.
City Council leader Susan Aitken in September said the pressure could become unbearable due to Labour's decision to cut the amount of time migrants granted asylum can stay in official accommodation - including hotels - from 56 days to 28. She believes this could prompt large numbers of refugees to head to Scotland due to its policy of guaranteeing everyone a legal right to housing. English councils are required only to house those in 'priority need', such as parents with children.
| Were Scotland to change their laws to match England, there would be no attractive force pulling in more migrants to succor — pretty basic stuff, really. |
The local authority has previously warned of a £110million shortfall in the money required for homelessness services over the next two years - prompting the Scottish Tories to insist the budget crisis is of the SNP's own making.
| Indeed. Their reach far exceeds their possible grasp. |
A spokesman for Glasgow council said: 'Glasgow thrives as a city enriched by many different languages and cultures, and we proudly celebrate this diversity and the positive impact it brings to all our school communities.'
| Oh? How many little girls carry machetes so they can protect themselves and their little friends from predators? |
Council chiefs and homeless charities have demanded more support from the government to avoid Scotland's housing emergency being made even worse by an influx of refugees.
Speaking in September, Ms Aitken criticised Labour's decision to halve the grace period successful refugees are given to find private housing to 28 days. It had previously stood at 28 days under the Tories before Labour doubled it in December in response to calls from refugee charities.
Ms Aitken criticised the U-turn, saying: 'This is a decision that reeks of panic and pandering.
'It's hard to see it being anything other than disastrous for refugees and for the communities trying to support them when the Home Office washes its hands.'
Sean Clerkin of the Scottish Tenants Organisation also said more support was needed for Glasgow.
He said: 'The British and Scottish Governments have got to make Glasgow a special case and give the city much more money to house everybody that needs a home including all refugees.
| What money? The entire country is going broke trying to pay for your gentry values instead of fitting your plans to suit your purse in the old Scottish way. |
'The Home Office must also introduce a fairer dispersal system – where more refugees are sent to other council areas in Scotland – to take the pressure off Glasgow.'
# id) ?>
|
