Greens call for more support for asylum seekers
Scottish Greens co-leader and Glasgow MSP Patrick Harvie has called for more support for asylum seekers in the face of poor treatment by the Home Office and outsourced accommodation provider Mears in Glasgow.
Mr Harvie used FMQs to highlight a new campaign by the ‘Roof Coalition’ of charities including Shelter, which highlights the fact pregnant women and mothers of children younger than two being housed in completely unsuitable accommodation in the city since January.
The ‘Freedom to Crawl’ campaign calls for no more women and children to be relocated to the facility, and vulnerability assessments be conducted by an independent, family support specialist agency.
Patrick Harvie said: “From dawn raids to poor accommodation, it’s clear the rights of asylum seekers in Glasgow are not being upheld by the Home Office and Mears. Unfortunately, immigration is reserved to the UK government, but there is no doubt we can do more in Scotland to protect the human rights of asylum seekers.
“In the Smith Commission, the UK Government and every political party committed to discussions on powers coming to Scotland on asylum housing and support services. These discussions have still not taken place, more than six years later.
“That’s why I have called on the Scottish Government to put this issue on the agenda for the next Joint Ministerial Committee, and work with Glasgow council and charities to develop a public sector bid for these housing services, so that Scotland can provide them to a standard we need not be ashamed of.”