Integration plan will address causes of people living in 'isolated, separate lives'

by LAUREN CODLING

A NEW £50 million government strategy to support integration in the UK was set to be announced on Wednesday (14).

Sajid Javid, the secretary of state for housing and communities, said the plan would tackle the causes of “poor integration and help create a more united Britain”.

The government will spend £50m to support the new Integrated Communities Strategy, which includes plan to boost English language skills, increase opportunities for women

and promote British values in school.

Although 85 per cent of people in a recent survey said they felt a strong sense of belonging to Britain, a separate independent review by Dame Louise Casey showed a “significant”

number of communities were divided along race, faith and socio-economic lines, reducing opportunities for people to mix and increasing chances of mistrust within ethnic groups.

Javid, who represents Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, said although the UK is diverse, many communities remain divided.

“Successive governments have refused to deal with the integration challenges we face head on, preferring to let people muddle along and live isolated and separated lives,” he said.

“This reduces opportunities for people to mix with others from different backgrounds, allows mistrust and misunderstanding to grow, and prevents those living in isolated

communities from taking advantage of the opportunities that living in Britain offers.”

The government set out plans to work with five ‘Integration Pilot Areas’ in Blackburn with Darwen, Bradford, Peterborough, Walsall, and Waltham Forest. The strategy will be

implemented over the next two years and a consultation is due to run for 12 weeks until June 5.

Additional measures to help integration included calls for leaders in the UK to ensure all services had a strong focus on integration; support for recent migrants who are adapting

to life in the UK; and an emphasis on empowering women, including exploring reform of the law on marriage and religious weddings.

Damian Hinds, the education secretary, said education was at the “heart” of the strategy as the values which were taught to children – promoting fairness, tolerance and respect

– are elements which join communities together.

“Together, with Ofsted and communities across the country, we will build on the work already underway to achieve this,” he added.

Responding to the publication of the strategy, Labour MP Chuka Umunna, chair of the APPG on Social Integration, said: “We’ve always said it’s dangerous to conflate immigration

and integration issues with counterterrorism, so I welcome the fact that the government’s tone appears to have changed on this, but we need to see the detail of the report.

“It is vital there is a recognition that integration is a two-way street, rather than simply the responsibility of minority communities, in the way the strategy is implemented.”

“However, we don’t yet have details about how this will be funded and, without solid financial commitment, this strategy could fall at the first hurdle,” he added.

“Between 2008 and 2015, funding for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) fell by 50 per cent.

“We are dealing with a national problem that demands national policy, and more work and funding is needed if we are to see real benefits.

“Action must be locally-led, but it’s disappointing that this strategy only focuses on five areas. We want to see a further roll-out in the coming years.”