Nearly two in three people (63%) and seven out of ten Labour voters (71%) believe that children seeking asylum should have the same access to schools as British children. Only one in ten (12%) believe that plans to educate them apart from other children would improve race relations in the UK - and over half the population (54%) believe that plans to house asylum seekers away from centres of population will damage race relations.


The findings come on the eve of the Report Stage of the Asylum Bill, which contains proposals to educate asylum children away from the local community in accommodation and detention facilities.


Commenting on the findings, T&G General Secretary Bill Morris said: "To champion social inclusion while denying asylum-seeking children access to local nurseries and schools, is both morally and intellectually confusing. It defies logic and goes against our international obligations.


"Asylum seekers won't learn this country's language and culture talking to one another.


"The public has spoken in this poll - do not legislate for discrimination."

Ends


Notes to editors:


According to the T&G poll:
* 96% agree that access to school should be a basic right for all children in the UK (85% strongly agree, 11% tend to agree)
* 63% agree that asylum-seeking children should have the same access to school as British children (35% strongly agree, 28% tend to agree)
* 54% believe that the plans to house asylum seekers away from centres of population will damage race relations
* 39% believe that educating asylum-seeking children in accommodation of detention centres will increase inequalities


Technical details: MORI interviewed 1,000 British adults aged 16+, by telephone, between 7th - 9th June 2002. Data are weighted to the known population profile.