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Sunday, December 13, 2009

Are we fair to asylum seekers?

I agree with Clare Short. It is not fair to leave the asylum seeker to wait for a long time to get an answer. If you don't want to give them permission to stay, send them back quickly. It will be too difficult for them to stay long and go back. Maryam.

The asylum system should be completely demolished as it provides opportunities to fraudsters, criminals and illegal immigrants. Shahzad.

I understand what Clare says, but surely we should put pressure on other countries like France and Germany to take more people and not sift them through to the UK. This would speed up the delays in the system and allow fairer treatment to those deserving. Mark Dillon.

Clare Short is right. If cases were dealt with faster it would cost less in staff time, and the cost of supporting asylum seekers would be less too, and cause less distress and hardship. David Murray.

These people have no right to be here, they have came here illegally and as such should be immediately returned to whichever country they came from. Under EC Law an asylum seeker should claim asylum in the first EC country they come to. This can never be the UK. Therefore non of these people should be allowed to claim asylum here. Antony.

Why is it that Britains seems to be looking after every other foreign national that flocks to our shores except our own people ?

Pack them all off back home that's what I say and let them run their own affairs in their own country and stop messing up ours instead. John Wheatcroft.

I am very pleased to see that my MP Clare Short is talking sense on the plight of asylum seekers who are some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Anna Smart, Birmingham.

There is a need to process applications expeditiously and reduce unnecessary support costs for cases that the government deems unsound cases.

There is vast and wide contributions that the professionals fleeing from their countries can plough into the economy.

This is a clear avenue that government must adopt to ensure that money is ploughed into the economy through their participation.

Please note that the asylum system must not promote dependency but empowerment. Support the professional refugees. Zimbabwe was a right example given in the discussion. Michael Chipato.

I think Clare Short is on the right track as well as the Immigration Minister Phil Woolas. The system needs to be more efficient. This would reduce costs costs in the long run and prevent people from abusing the system. Makini, Birmingham.

I agree with Clare Short - this system is a disgrace. People here settle for years then suddenly they get rejected tand have leave, this is not well planned strategy. Hersh.

Why do "asylum seekers" need to come to the UK when they pass through the rest of Europe to get here, if they need asylum they can stop off at any other country, we are already full, our pensioners need that extra money. Geoff Seymour.

Clare Short talks a load of rubbish. These asylum seekers travel through many countries to get to the UK, why? Because no other country will support them like we do.

My son, born and raised and worked in the UK all his life. Never been out of work, underwent heart surgery and joint surgery a few months ago.

Despite paying all his national insurance contributions and tax since he was 16 years of age. He is now 46, is not able to get any government support while recovering from his surgery. He would be very grateful for free accommodation and a Tesco credit card! Mo Edwards.

With all due respect, Clare Short is not living in the real world. This country is too small to take more people on. Mr Lynch, Solihull.

I was always taught that charity begins at home. John Smith, West Midlands.

Where does Clare Short think all these jobs are going to come from? My wife has just been made redundant and can't find a job anywhere. She's lived here for over 40 years. Mr Butler, Kingswinford.

This country is grossly-overcrowded. I thought Clare Short had resigned from Government. If she hasn't it's about time she did. Mr Fisher, Dudley.

Clare Short is not on the same planet - get real. Keith, Oldbury.

Clare Short is wrong. It's about time we started to look after our own people. Mrs Thomas, Cannock.

Clare Short, needs to get in the real world. Mr Taylor, Burton on Trent.

I work for social care in Coventry. Many families are not able to find work, and have to wait many years. The process needs to be changed. Miss Harvey, Coventry.

I have been here for 56 years, and things weren't this bad when I arrived. They seem to be getting worse now. Harry, Birmingham.

This system is so complicated. These people don't seem to understand what they're doing in dealing with the applications. Feona Montieth.

Should fire stations be closed in Warwickshire?

Why does the Chief Officer and portfolio holder Cllr Hobbs continue to say this is not about cuts? Their own risk document details the cost savings throughout - seven less buildings and nine less fire engines to replace/maintain IS a huge cost saving.

The cost to the public? Extended attendance times that WILL cost lives - you cannot close a fire station like mine in Bidford that responds in 3-5 minutes and tell us a 10 minute plus attendance is an 'improvement' - they treat the public with contempt!

It's utter madness that is NOT supported by firefighters who actually ride the appliances and will have to pick up the pieces when it all goes wrong - which it will under these misguided plans. Mike Franklin, Warwickshire.

The government wants us to build thousands more homes in Warwickshire over the coming years. So we will have more people and less firefighters meaning the closed stations will then have to be reopened in the future at a higher cost than keeping them running untill the population grows. The chief fire officer needs to look long term cost. Why get rid of something we will need? S French.

Regarding the proposed closures in Warwickshire. The ramifications of this should this be allowed would be to encourage neighbouring counties following suit on cuts.

There are many areas where cuts can be made particularly on questionable quangos that serve no purpose. Ten minute response time in urban areas, 20 minutes in rural could be the difference between life and death. Both full-time and retained firemen are essential. Andrew Tait.

If this many Conservative candidates are against their own party's cuts in Warwickshire, why don't they just tell their councillors to stop these plans now? Or are they just pretending to be against the cuts? Some honesty please... Steve.

Bidford residents have put forward a proposal to save Warwickshire Fire Service a quarter of a million pounds whilst allowing all the stations to stay open. That's far better than the proposed cuts. Christine, Bidford.

The retained fire service is trained to the same standard as regular firemen. There's no argument there to train more regular firemen. Stan, West Midlands

How can they propose to cut fire services when there are more houses being built? They need services to cover these areas. Brian, Stoke-on-Trent.

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