Press briefing: afternoon 22 January
The Prime Minister’s Spokesperson (PMS) answered questions on Syrian refugees and the European Union.
Syrian refugees
Asked whether more Syrian refugees would come to Britain, the PMS said the government was listening to arguments about how we can help the most vulnerable people in the refugee camps.
Asked whether the government had shifted policy in relation to admitting Syrian refugees, the PMS said it hadn’t. The government have already provided £600 million in aid to the region and has accepted over a thousand asylum cases. He added that the UK has a long tradition of responding to hardship cases. The government was in contact with a number of organisations who are supporting refugees in the region to discuss the best ways to help the most vulnerable.
Asked whether more refugees could arrive in UK within the next few weeks, the PMS said the government was actively looking at how to respond to cases of extreme hardship.
EU
Asked whether the PM would use Davos to outline Britain’s position on Europe, the PMS said that the PM’s approach to reforming the EU was well known and that he would continue to make the case for a more flexible and more competitive Europe.