The Archbishop of Canterbury has said he is "shocked" at the Government's decision to close the scheme bringing child refugees from Europe to the UK.

The Most Rev Justin Welby said he believed 3,000 children would be welcomed under the Dubs Amendment, but the Government will offer a safe haven to only 350 lone youngsters from European migrant camps.

He urged ministers to reconsider the decision and said that refugees are "treasured human beings" who "deserve safety, freedom and the opportunity to flourish".

He said: "Our country has a great history of welcoming those in need, particularly the most vulnerable, such as unaccompanied children."

Image: Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby with Home Secretary Amber Rudd at the launch of a scheme to sponsor refugee families

Asked about the decision during a press conference with the Italian Prime Minister at Downing Street, Theresa May said she thought the Government approach was "absolutely right".


The Prime Minister said: "We have been seeing quite a number of children and families being resettled here in the United Kingdom.

"I think what we are doing in terms of refugees is absolutely right, on top of course of the significant financial support and humanitarian aid we are giving to refugees in the region of Syria - a commitment of £2.3 billion, the second biggest bilateral donor."

Earlier, Home Secretary Amber Rudd had defended the move saying her French counterparts had told her that accepting Syrian children from Calais was acting as a "pull" for child refugees - and for people traffickers.

She said: "I am clear that when working with my French counterparts they do not want us to indefinitely continue to accept children under the Dubs Amendment because they specify, and I agree with them, that it acts as a draw. It acts as a pull.

"It encourages the people traffickers."

She added that the Government "has always been clear that we do not want to incentivise perilous journeys to Europe, particularly by the most vulnerable children".

The Government has pledged to take 3,000 refugee children from the Middle East region but that local authorities could not cope with the further refugee children from European camps.

October: 'I'm still worried about the children left behind', says Lord Dubs

Labour peer Lord Alf Dubs, who came to the UK on the Kindertransport during the Second World War and who put pressure on the Government to introduce the scheme last year, called the decision "shameful".

When the Government made the Dubs changes to the UK's Immigration Act the exact number of migrants to be taken was never specified, campaigners originally called for 3,000 under-18s to be accepted into the country.

A written statement from Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill shows that the scheme will be closed once 350 children have been brought to the UK.

Two hundred children have so far been relocated in the UK thanks to the Dubs Amendment, with a further 150 expected before the end of the year.

Lord Dubs told Sky News: "They have no right to say it's going to stop after a certain period.

"They shouldn't close the scheme, they should take more children as more local authorities step up to the mark and offer foster places.

"I think public opinion is on our side and the Government should accept that. They shouldn't start playing this immigration numbers game and make child refugees the victims.

"We're not the only country that should be taking unaccompanied child refugees, but we have no right to back off and say we're not going to take any. I think that's really shabby."