CLLR Gethyn Davies appears to have been trying to make a serious point when he asked his question about the size of refugee families to be accommodated in the Forest of Dean and was rebuffed by his fellow councillors (Review, April 15).

Cllr Davies’ question was quite relevant given the social and cultural norms in the Middle East and their families consisting of multiple wives and numerous children.

Going a little deeper into the question and beyond the emotional spiel about human values and charity to people escaping war and persecution, government policy of distributing refugees across the UK without serious consideration of the future of the very people being given refuge is thoughtless and harmful to those concerned.

Far better if the government had organised induction camps for the refugees to allow them time to learn English and British values, and train them for gainful employment in Britain, also preparing for their eventual repatriation when peace returned to the locations they have run away from.

Based on current evidence, integration within Britain of people having a strong sense of religion and cultural identity as those from the Islamic world is a pipe dream.

Dispersing and isolating them in communities alien to their way of life and belief system would not hasten assimilation within the majority community – quite the reverse, alienate them further.

– Venk Shenoi, Blaisdon.