The Scottish Government “stands ready” to work with the UK Government on housing asylum seekers at military barracks in Inverness despite an “intense level of frustration” around engagement.
The Home Office announced on Tuesday around 300 male asylum seekers would be housed at Cameron Barracks in the Highland city.
Within hours, Scottish ministers had slated the announcement, claiming neither they nor Highland Council had been consulted on the final decision.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, asylum minister Alex Norris said the UK Government had been “engaging directly and regularly” with both the Scottish Government and relevant councils – an assertion rejected by ministers north of the border.
A meeting is believed to have taken place between officials from both governments in September, where Cameron Barracks was discussed as a potential site, but no final agreement was reached before the announcement was made.
Answering an urgent question in Holyrood, Scottish Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said she had written to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to seek clarity on issues relating to the plans.
“If you were going to start to implement a policy which delivered for local communities and asylum seekers and which ensure community cohesion, you would not go about it in this way,” the minister told MSPs.
“That is exactly why there is an intense level of frustration within the Scottish Government.
“But in saying that, we now stand ready to work collaboratively with the UK Government, should they now wish to do so.”
Inverness and Nairn MSP Fergus Ewing raised concerns from locals about how the influx could impact on services.
Responding, Ms Somerville said: “There are a number of concerns that local residents have had, I do believe many of those concerns are based on a concern about the ability of local service provision, but that’s exactly why I’ve written to the Home Secretary twice now to lay out specific concerns.”
Mr Ewing also pushed for the UK asylum minister to come to Inverness to meet locals and take questions from journalists, which Ms Somerville said was a “very sensible” suggestion.
A spokeswoman for the UK Government said: “We are furious at the level of illegal migrants and asylum hotels.
“This Government will close every asylum hotel. Work is well under way, with more suitable sites being brought forward to ease pressure on communities.
“We are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across Government so that we can accelerate delivery.”
Earlier on Wednesday, First Minister John Swinney told journalists the Home Office had taken a “poor approach” to the announcement.
Speaking following a speech in Edinburgh, he said: “I think whatever approach is taken here, the emphasis has got to be on engagement with communities about the proposals that are being brought forward.
“I think the reaction from Highland Council and a number of community representatives in Inverness demonstrates there has absolutely been a poor approach taken by the Home Office, which is, frankly, consistent with how the Home Office operates.
“I recognise these are sensitive issues and they require careful and sensitive handling and they require good engagement. All of that has been missing from how the Home Office has gone about this.”
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar – speaking after his own speech at the same Edinburgh event – said the Scottish Government could not have been surprised by the announcement.
“It has been a clear policy indication from the UK Labour Government for a very long time now that they want to end the use of asylum hotels, that they recognise the pressures that exist in the housing stock across the country, and how that then has knock-on impacts and challenges when you have a housing emergency in Scotland,” Mr Sarwar said.
“So for the Scottish Government to pretend that somehow this is now a shock, I just don’t buy that argument.
“What is it they’re suggesting? Are they suggesting we should instead use asylum hotels or social housing? Or are they supporting the use of the barracks?
“I think the confusion is on the party of the Scottish Government’s policy and position here.”
Mr Sarwar also pushed back on claims the housing of asylum seekers could endanger women and girls, saying people should be “careful that we are not amplifying a message too many on the far right want to portray, that every single person that is waiting for a decision from the Home Office is somehow a threat and a danger to our communities and our society”.
