Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has held recent discussions with (a) City of Edinburgh Council, (b) the Scottish Government, (c) Forth Ports Ltd and (d) any other stakeholders on proposals to accommodate asylum seekers on the MS Victoria cruise ship in Leith.

The Home Office met with representatives of Scottish government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) on several occasions in May to discuss the possibility of placing a vessel in Leith to accommodate asylum seekers.

In addition, the Home Office established a Multi-Agency Forum (MAF), involving the Council, Health, Police and other public agencies, as a structured forum for discussion with statutory bodies and key stakeholders.

The City of Edinburgh Council opposed the use of this site.