A SCOTTISH charity has hit out at a Labour minister over a cancelled visit to Glasgow to discuss the city’s homelessness crisis.
Angela Eagle – the UK Government’s immigration minister – had been invited to a meeting on Monday with representatives from Glasgow City Council, the Scottish Government, and the Scottish Refugee Council.
But it went ahead without her after the minister’s visit was cancelled last minute.
It comes amid concerns that the amount of refugees declaring as homeless is putting “unprecedented pressure” on the local authority.
This includes an estimated funding shortfall of around £260 million expected over the next three years.
Now, as first reported in The Scotsman, Sabir Zazai, chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, has written a letter to Eagle blaming the situation on UK “policy choices” rather than the “fault of people seeking asylum or newly granted refugees who have made their way to Glasgow”.
Zazai hit out at the minister’s absence, stating that “the ability to move forward was ultimately constrained by the lack of senior political representation from the UK Government”.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville did take part in discussions and told The Scotsman she was “very disappointed” that Eagle did not attend.
Zazai stressed that any UK Government action must “not involve any watering down of homelessness rights for refugees”.
He also called for the exploration of “enhanced transitional support during the move-on period for newly granted refugees” and keeping people in asylum accommodation until they have the possibility of moving to more permanent accommodation.
“This would alleviate significant pressure on council services and allow resources to be diverted to the ad hoc presentations of newly granted refugees from other parts of the UK,” Zazai added.
A UK Government spokesperson said: “Despite inheriting huge pressures on the asylum system, we are working to make sure individuals have the support they need following an asylum decision to help local authorities better plan their assistance with homelessness.
“We are working right across the UK to give councils as much notice as possible of newly recognised refugees, have doubled the move on period to 56 days and have mobilised liaison officers to support asylum seekers in Glasgow City Council area.”
