Peer who came to Britain as a refugee says Government is dragging its feet on helping Syrian children

Lord (Alf) Dubs said Theresa May should take 'immediate' action

Lord Dubs came to the UK as part of the 'Kindertransport' saving children from the Nazis (PA)

The Government has been accused of “dragging its feet” on a commitment to give refuge to unaccompanied Syrian children fleeing persecution by Isis.

Lord Alf Dubs, a Labour peer who himself came to Britain as a child refugee fleeting from the Nazis, said Theresa May should take “immediate action” on the issue.

The call comes a day after the Information Commissioner ruled that the Home Office must disclose the number of children it had accepted under the arrangement in the last year.

The department, which is responsible for migration and asylum, had released the figures in previous years but resisted doing so for 2015. Campaigners are worried this is because the figures would show no progress; the department has 35 calendar days to comply with the ruling.

“I am deeply saddened that despite repeated calls from me and others the Government still seems to be dragging its feet on the commitments it made when the amendment in my name was accepted.

“Now that the new Government has had some weeks to settle in after the EU referendum vote there really is no excuse for any further delay. Theresa May and Amber Rudd should be taking immediate action.”

Lord Dubs earlier this year helped force the Government into accepting an amendment to the Immigration Act. The so-called “Dubs Amendment” compelled them to take in more lone minors from Europe.

The peer, who had Jewish family, was brought to Britain as part of the Kindertransport scheme operated by British stockbroker Nicholas Winton. The scheme arranged transport for nearly 10,000 mostly Jewish children from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland who were seen as at risk of persecution or muder by the Nazis.

He later became an MP for seats in Battersea and then a peer.

A Home Office spokesperson said on Thursday night: "Our priority is to protect the best interests of children who are in need of our help. Last year there were over 3,000 claims for asylum in the UK by unaccompanied children, in addition to those who were already being cared for in the UK. While these children have made it to the UK, they still need support and we still need local authorities to agree to care for them.

“We are in active discussions with the UNHCR, other partner organisations and the Italian, Greek and French governments to strengthen and speed up mechanisms to identify, assess and transfer unaccompanied refugee children to the UK where this in their best interests.

“We continue to work closely with the French government to ensure that children in Calais with family links in the UK are identified, receive sufficient support and can access the Dublin family reunification process without delay.”