CHARITIES have reacted with anger after hundreds of asylum seekers in Glasgow were moved from mostly self-contained accommodation into city centre hotels, amid claims that social-distancing measures were not in place and their financial support was withdrawn.
The single men, women, families and pregnant women were moved by accommodation provider Mears Group – which is subcontracted by the Home Office – over the past 10 days, along with some people assessed as having mental health problems and potential survivors of trafficking.
Positive Action in Housing said it was aware of destitute asylum seekers being moved to hotels with no financial support, meaning they were unable top up their phones, which were vital for them to keep in touch with lawyers, caseworkers or doctors, or buy extra food or hand sanitiser.
It added that more worryingly, many of the 300-plus asylum seekers said no social-distancing measures were in place, which it said created a wider public health issue for everyone.
Hotel residents had no fixed meal-collection times and no access to food or drink outside these hours, other than water.
Ramadan starts today, and the Muslims amongst the asylum seekers are not supposed to eat or drink until 8.40pm or later.
Robina Qureshi, director of Positive Action in Housing, told The National: “We have a global pandemic, a field hospital at Glasgow’s SECC, and a mass mortuary in Hillington, yet Mears is effectively dumping hundreds of asylum seekers into hotels all over Glasgow without any financial support where it is impossible to do proper social distancing. People are forced to interact with others at close proximity in communal areas and using shared lifts in order to access basics like food.
“They are terrified of infecting or being infected. Those hotels were emptied because of Covid-19 to keep people safe, but the lives of people seeking asylum doesn’t seem to merit the same respect for human rights.
“There are many vulnerable people, including women on their own, some families, pregnant women, young people, survivors of torture or people with mental health problems. Mears is putting vulnerable people’s lives at risk as well as the general population.”
A Home Office spokesperson told The Guardian: “We are only moving asylum seekers where it is necessary, strictly following guidance from public health authorities, and into accommodation that ensures social distancing. This is to help stop the spread of the virus, protect the NHS and save lives.”
Head of policy at the Scottish Refugee Council, Gary Christie, said people had told them they had been moved to hotels at very short notice.
“It’s confusing and frightening and raises serious concerns about how the Home Office communicates and shares vital information,” he said. People can’t stay in hotels forever.”
A spokesperson for Mears Group said it had to move
the asylum seekers after lockdown measures left them with a shortage of accommodation. They added: “All movement of the people concerned was undertaken in accordance with health authority guidance on social distancing and use of PPE.”
Scotland is in lockdown. Shops are closing and newspaper sales are falling fast. It’s no exaggeration to say that the future of The National is at stake. Please consider supporting us through this with a digital subscription from just £2 for 2 months by following this link: http://www.thenational.scot/subscribe. Thanks – and stay safe.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel