Nearly two-thirds of 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.

Toplines

Technical details

• Mori interviewed 1,000 adults aged 18+
• Interview were conducted by telephone on 7-9 June 2002
• Results are based on all respondents
• Data are weighted to the known population profile
• An * indicates a finding of less that 0.5%, but greater than zero
• Where percentages do not add up to 100%, this may be due to computer rounding, the exclusion of don't knows or to multiple answers
• Poll conducted by MORI on behalf of the TGWU

Q1 How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements ... ?

Access to school in Britain should be a basic right for all children

Children seeking asylum in Britain should have the same access to schools as British children

Q2 We would now like you to think more about the education of children in Britain who are seeking asylum. Which, if any, of the following statements comes closest to your view on what should happen?

Q3 Supposing children who are seeking asylum in Britain were to be educated in accommodation or detention centres. Do you think this would improve or harm race relations between asylum seekers and the rest of the population, or would it make no difference?

Q4 Please tell me whether you think that plans to house asylum seekers in separate accommodation centres away from major centres of population in the future will improve or damage race relations in Britain, or will it make no difference?

Q5 We would now like to talk about the issue of reducing inequalities between different groups of people, sometimes referred to as 'social inclusion'. For each of the following policies, could you tell me whether you think they would increase or decrease inequalities in Britain or do you think they would make no difference ... ?

Housing asylum seekers in accommodation or detention centres

Educating children of asylum seekers in accommodation or detention centres separately from local children