Rennie questions Prime Minister over Government’s refusal to act over Chernobyl Children (Dumfries Liberal Democrats)

Dumfries Liberal Democrats <tom@therussells.org.uk>

Rennie questions Prime Minister over Government’s refusal to act over Chernobyl Children

June 18, 2009 9:06 AM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

The Prime Minister was yesterday quizzed about the government's refusal to waive visa fees for the children of Chernobyl visiting from the Ukraine.

Speaking during Prime Minister's Question time, Mr Rennie highlighted the anomaly that means Chernobyl children from Belarus who have recuperative holidays in the UK receive visas yet Chernobyl children from the north of Ukraine don't. This is despite the fact that contamination levels in the north of Ukraine can be even worse than those in Belarus.Willie Rennie MP

Every year, Chernobyl children's charities pay for four thousand children to travel to the UK from Belarus and Ukraine for recuperative holidays. Following his question to the Prime Minister, Mr Rennie was able to secure a meeting with new Home Secretary Alan Johnson to discuss the issue.

Commenting Mr Rennie said:

"Yesterday's promise from the Prime Minister that the Home Secretary will meet with myself and Chernobyl children campaigners to discuss the Government's refusal to waive visa fees for the children of Chernobyl from Ukraine is a real step forward for the campaign.

"Coming on the back of the news that the Belarusian government have agreed to allow rehabilitation trips to the UK for children of Chernobyl to resume, it's important that we now capitalise on this recent progress.

"The Government have already shown that they are prepared to waive Visa fees for children of Chernobyl from Belarus. Given how tight money is at the moment, it would be a huge boost to the charities if the Government were able to secure a similar arrangement for children from the Ukraine."