News from the Residential Property Investor, the bi-monthly magazine for RLA members other artilces from the October / November 2001 issue RPI news archive

Halt called to dispersals - October / November 2001

Home Secretary David Blunkett (right) has ordered an urgent review of the Government's asylum dispersal policy following recent riots and other racially connected incidents in Bradford and other parts of the country.

Bradford, the scene of some of the country's worst racial riots for over a decade, has seen its part in the dispersal programme postponed indefinitely by the Home Office. It is working in consultation with local police and said it would not resume dispersals in the area until the police were satisfied it was right to do so.

A second English town to be affected is Burnley. 'We want to give both Bradford and Burnley the chance to recover after their problems', said a Home Office spokesman.

In Scotland, the death of a Kurdish asylum seeker has also resulted in a review of local policy by the Home Office. As a result Scottish town halls are to have more of a say about how many asylum seekers are accepted into each area.

In addition, private landlords that are seen to be taking advantage of asylum seeking tenants may face tougher inspections of their properties.

Since April last year an estimated 2,000 asylum seekers have been sent to Yorkshire and Humberside, 130 to Bradford.
 

other artilces from the October / November 2001 issue

• A voice for landlords
• Bristol charity blasts shorthold tenancies
• Glasgow landlords challenge registration scheme
• NALS gets Government funding
• Jail for deposit trickster
• Rental market strong but could be stronger
• Council pays private tenants over lack of enforcement
• Halt called to dispersals
• DTLR puts case for smoke alarms
• Homeless increase in SW
• In brief