NORTH Ayrshire is to take on more Syrian refugees as part of the UK Government’s Vulnerable Persons Resettlement (VPR) scheme.

The authority previously welcomed 53 refugees from Syria prior to the most recent arrival of people seeking refuge on Thursday, March 16.

More than 200 people were identified for resettlement from the region around Syria by the UNHCR and have been taken into the care of several local authorities across Scotland.

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “Humanitarian protection is a key principle for the council and we will do whatever we can to help those who have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety.

“We have previously made a commitment to the Syrian Resettlement Programme and it has so far seen the successful resettlement and integration of 53 refugees.

“Today, we welcome two new Syrian families and we will give them the same level of support and advice as we seek to help them rebuild their lives.”

Hundreds of flights carrying Syrians have arrived in the UK over the past 18 months. 

More than 5,500 refugees have been resettled in the UK under the scheme so far – around a fifth have been found homes in Scotland.

The government remains on track to meet its commitment of resettling 20,000 Syrians by 2020.

In addition to the VPR scheme, the government has also committed to accepting up to 3,000 vulnerable children and family members directly from the Middle East and North Africa.