5 January 2017
The Muslim Council of Britain finds much to commend in the “Interim Report into Integration of Immigrants” published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Integration. Whilst continuing to review the report in greater detail, we note how the report calls for a well-funded and comprehensive two-way integration strategy appropriately catering for the needs and concerns of local communities.
Harun Khan, Secretary General of the MCB, said: “We welcome initiatives that facilitate the integration of all Britons and the approach of this report, in tackling this challenging topic, is one that we support. Unlike recently published deliberations, this report includes a number of sensible recommendations including local integration plans, training and English learning classes for economic immigrants, improved data collection to create a stronger evidence base for future policy development, community mentoring programmes, encouragement of social mixing and cutting naturalisation fees, as well as automatic pathways to citizenship for new arrivals”.
The Muslim Council of Britain has long called for a more positive narrative around immigration and also welcomed the report’s call for political leadership to shape a strong and ‘inclusive national narrative that defines integration as the success of all groups, and not just a problem of newcomers’.
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Notes to Editors:
The Muslim Council of Britain is the UK’s largest Muslim umbrella body with over
500 affiliated national, regional and local organisations, mosques,
charities and schools.
For further information please contact:
The Muslim Council of Britain
PO Box 57330
London
E1 2WJ
Tel: 0845 26 26 786
Fax: 0207 247 7079
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