A Syrian refugee child looks on, moments after arriving on a raft with other Syrian refugees on a beach on the Greek island of Lesbos, January 4, 2016. REUTERS/Giorgos Moutafis
A Syrian refugee child looks on, moments after arriving on a raft with other Syrian refugees on a beach on the Greek island of Lesbos, January 4, 2016. REUTERS/Giorgos Moutafis
British government might take in refugee children who have fled the war in Syria and have travelled to other countries in Europe, a government minister said on Sunday.
Charities have been calling on the UK to admit thousands of unaccompanied child refugees who have made it into Europe as part of its response to the migrant crisis, according to a Cabinet minister.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said the government was taking into consideration whether it could do more for the estimated 3,000 children who have fled the war-torn country without their parents or guardians and are in Europe.
No decision has been made yet, says Downing Street sources.
Speaking on Sky News, Ms Greening said children “have always been at the heart of our response”.
Asked whether the government was close to heeding the calls for the government to consider admitting 3,000 children refugees, she said: “That’s what we are doing and I think that is the right thing.”
Last year it was estimated that around 26,000 children arrived in Europe without their families.
Also, Prime Minister David Cameron has earlier said that Britain would accept 20,000 refugees in the coming five years from camps in the Middle East, as opposed to those who have already made it to Europe.
However, critics say that the response has been meagre in comparison with the 1.1 million asylum seekers who arrived in Germany last year. Campaign groups and more than 80 Church of England bishops have urged Cameron to do more.