Labour minister snubs Glasgow asylum seeker summit despite 'unprecedented pressure'

Labour’s asylum minister has refused to attend a summit on pressures placed on Glasgow despite being in the city when talks take place.

A Labour Home Office minister has snubbed crisis talks on the “unprecedented pressure” Glasgow’s asylum dispersal status is having on the city.

The Scottish Refugee Council is hosting a roundtable meeting with Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government to discuss the impact of the city taking in a high proportion of people seeking asylum.

Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle Picture: PA | PA

But Angela Eagle, who is responsible for asylum policy for the UK government, has refused to attend the meeting, despite being in Glasgow when the summit takes place next month.

In a letter to Dame Angela, seen by The Scotsman, the city council’s workforce, homelessness and addiction services convener, Allan Casey, has moved to “express my disappointment that you have refused the invitation” and her “refusal to engage with us directly” on the issue.

READ MORE: Glasgow threatens to 'pause' role as asylum dispersal city without Home Office support

Glasgow is one of several dispersal cities across the UK, but takes in more people seeking a decision on their asylum claim than any other local authority.

In his letter, Mr Casey said: “Glasgow is the largest dispersal area in the UK and we currently house over 4,000 asylum seekers here. This is putting unprecedented pressure on our housing system.

Subscribe today to the Scotsman’s daily newsletter

“We will continue to believe that asylum dispersal is good for our city and we have been enriched by it. But the system you are presiding over is damaging social cohesion here, and we want to meet with you to discuss that.”

READ MORE: Home Office urged to bring 'immediate end' to Glasgow asylum hotels

Once those seeking asylum have been granted leave to remain status, they have just 56 days to exit their accommodation and find somewhere to live, which has piled pressure on Glasgow’s homelessness services. This ‘move-on period’ was temporarily relaxed from 28 days in December, but is due to revert in June.

The councillor has suggested that Scotland’s homelessness legislation has acted as a magnet for asylum seekers from other parts of the UK, claiming “almost 1,000 people with leave to remain have accessed our homelessness services who have been given a decision elsewhere in the UK”.

Highlighting the strain on the city council, Mr Casey said: “Over 54 per cent of homeless households in temporary accommodation in Glasgow are from households who have been granted leave to remain, putting enormous financial strain on our health and social care partnership.”

A UK government spokesperson said: “We have implemented a pilot scheme to double the move on period to 56 days from the point they are served their grant of leave, while also supporting local authorities as this government clears the asylum backlog.

“There is a clear need for a smooth transition between asylum accommodation and other accommodation for asylum seekers granted leave to remain.”