Letter: `Evil' refugee Bill

Sir: It is disingenuous of the Home Office to express surprise at refugee support groups' condemnation of the most recent plans for the dispersal of asylum seekers throughout the UK ("Anger at government U- turn over refugees", 13 August).

It is true that refugee support groups had been consulted on their dispersal plans - as on the other aspects of the Immigration and Asylum Bill before Parliament. However, this does not imply that we, or other groups campaigning on behalf of refugees, have ever agreed with these plans.

Rather we have raised objections and concerns, some of which were highlighted in the article, throughout the period of the White Paper proposals, the process of the Bill through Parliament and in correspondence and meetings with Home Office representatives.

The Home Office may have consulted with us - but it has also ignored and over-ridden all our objections, concerns and proposals for the amelioration of an evil and draconian Bill.

LOUISE ZANRe

Project worker, Pax Christi

London NW4