A contract with a Glasgow cruise ship currently housing Ukrainian refugees will come to an end in two weeks time, with no confirmed plans for where those onboard will be housed.
The Scottish Government said they are "working intensively" with Glasgow City Council to provide accommodation for those currently living on the MS Ambition, with has housed up to 1,200, now to be re-homed as the ship contract is to end on March 31.
Refugees are said to be receiving help to make "an informed decision" about their next accommodation with the government saying they will attempt to find housing that "meets their needs".
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However, Glasgow reportedly does not have enough homes to accommodate all the refugees on board.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The M/S Ambition was a temporary measure to ensure Scotland could respond to the humanitarian crisis facing people in Ukraine and provide an immediate place of safety for displaced people.
“The Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council are working intensively to support guests on board MS Ambition to make an informed decision about their onward accommodation. Where possible we will seek to match people to accommodation that meets their needs but recognise that there are housing pressures within the Glasgow area.
“Everyone on board will be made an offer of onward accommodation and will have access to the support they need to build a home in Scotland for as long as they need it.”
Glasgow City Council leader Susan previously confirmed to Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy in a letter than Glasgow will not be able to house all the refugees on the ship.
She said: "Given the scale of demand for accommodation and the Scottish wide nature of the Super Sponsor Scheme it is likely that Ukrainian Displaced Persons will be required to locate to other local authority areas.
"All available practical assistance will be provided to assist these moves minimising disruption as much as possible however Glasgow will not be in a position to provide settled accommodation to all UDP currently residing on MS Ambition or those currently residing temporarily in hotels."
She added: "I can also advise that Glasgow continues to experience a serious shortfall in available housing association properties placing further pressure on our homeless population and in this regard, it remains unlikely that those residing on the ship will secure settled housing association properties following their disembarkation from the ship on the 31 March 2023.
“Glasgow HSCP staff are actively working with a number of Local Authorities to facilitate offers of move-on accommodation including offers of hosting arrangements throughout Scotland.”
The British Red Cross has also expressed concern for the impact living on the ship may have had on refugees. The charity said some people have lived on board for as long as seven months without any clear indication of when they will be moved to more permanent accommodation.
They added that accommodation for people fleeing conflict should reflect the trauma they have experienced and it would be better for people to live in communities, offering more opportunities where they can integrate into neighbourhoods and access work, schools, healthcare and other services.
A Glasgow City Council spokesman stated "it was never anticipated that all of the families on Ambition would be housed in the city".
They said: “Welcoming displaced Ukrainian people and matching them with homes and hosts has always been a nationwide project. Glasgow is part of that, but it was never anticipated that all of the families on Ambition would be housed in the city.”
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