Asked by: Mhairi Black (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire South)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what representations he has made to Cabinet colleagues in relation to people in Scotland who are in temporary accommodation provided by Mears Group and funded by the Home Office.
Answered by Iain Stewart
The Secretary of State for Scotland is in contact with the Prime Minister and Home Secretary on a range of immigration issues of importance to Scotland.
Just like everyone else in the country, asylum seekers have been asked to stay in their accommodation to help in the fight against Coronavirus, which has increased the amount of accommodation needed to do so safely. The use of contingency accommodation is an exceptional response to exceptional circumstances.
Since the start of the current pandemic, the Home Office has been in daily contact with service providers to ensure that the Government continues to meet its statutory obligation to house destitute asylum seekers and to ensure that all contracted support services are delivered and service users are housed safely. As we emerge from lockdown measures, work has begun in Glasgow to move people out of hotels back into longer term accommodation.