THERE has been a “fresh surge” of asylum seekers in Newport, with the number doubling since 2012, according to MP Paul Flynn.

Mr Flynn said the government figures showed there are now 459 asylum seekers in Newport, an increase of six per cent from 434 in the first quarter of the year.

As recently as 2012, the number was below 200. Meanwhile the national total has fallen very slightly from 30,476 to 30,457, he said.

The Newport West MP has raised the issue of asylum seekers numerous times in parliament claiming other parts of the country are not taking their fair share, particularly in some senior Tory constituencies.

In a blog post, he said: “The current dispersal system is not working.

"It was designed to avoid excessive concentrations in certain towns and cities but is placing a great burden on communities such as ours. Newcomers bring the benefit of a more diverse, vibrant city but create significant pressures on local services such as schools.

“Meanwhile, top Tory constituencies avoid their share of our country’s responsibility to provide shelter to refugees. The prime minister currently has no asylum seekers in his, the chancellor has one and the home secretary has five.”

He said something needed to be done to make sure asylum seekers were spread more equally.

“A fresh policy is needed which will expand the number of dispersal areas and ease the burden on Newport and fairly distribute asylum seekers throughout the country. One council has already asked for more dispersal areas.

“The future is daunting. On one hand public sympathies have been aroused by the touching pictures of the suffering of Syrian refugees. On the other hand, opposition has hardened with the threatening images from Calais. It is certain that the pressure to take more refugees will grow. There is no rational European policy to deal with the many million from Syria, Africa and Afghanistan whose hopes of finding asylum here have been raised by the EU"s chaotic policies.”

A Home Office spokeswoman said previously: “The United Kingdom has a long and proud history of offering sanctuary to those who genuinely need it.

“Asylum seekers are housed according to their individual needs and where there is available and appropriate accommodation. Agreements between national government and local authorities are voluntary and have been in place since 2000.

“We review this regularly, working closely with local authorities to ensure the system is fair for asylum seekers and for tax payers across the country.”