A SCOTTISH charity says it been left “deeply concerned” after Tory ministers have been accused of “inhumane” plans to cram 900 asylum seekers into Scots hotels by forcing them to share bedrooms.
The doubling up plan comes despite the UK Government already admitting that hotels are not “appropriate”.
It is understood that around 50,000 asylum seekers are being housed across the UK in Home Office run hotels.
The policy also applies in Scotland where private firm Mears is responsible for finding temporary accommodation.
The Daily Record reports that a leaked letter from Home Office official Tim Rymer to SNP minister Emma Roddick (below) stated: “The Home Office is constantly challenging our accommodation suppliers to make best use of available asylum accommodation to reduce the need for more hotels and deliver the best value for money for the taxpayer.”
However, he added: “In order to deliver this we are working closely with our accommodation providers to optimise the existing space within the existing hotel estate.”
Rymer, who is the deputy director of adult and family asylum accommodation, added: “We recognise this may cause some concern.
“I would like to assure you that we will be doing this in line with all relevant statutory and legal requirements.”
The letter also revealed plans to increase the number of asylum seekers in hotels through the room share plan.
Several hotels across the country have been earmarked for a rise. The Brentwood hotel in Aberdeen has a current capacity of 114, but a planned rise of 107 through sharing would take the total to 211.
Elsewhere, The Station Hotel in Perth could rise from 81 to 154 and The Patio Hotel in Aberdeen could jump from 165 to 346 under the proposals.
Overall, the new policy would squeeze 906 new people in fourteen hotels and the total revised maximum capacity would be 1863.
On the plans, Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman (pictured below) said: “The complacent, cruel and inhumane hotels policy has been a disaster.
“It is a symptom of a brutal, racist and broken system that actively punishes some of the world’s most vulnerable people.”
Scottish charities have also hit out at the plans. Graham O’Neill, of the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC), said: “We are deeply concerned by plans to require people seeking asylum to share bedrooms.
“People coming to the UK seeking protection are often fleeing violence and oppression including abuse and gross invasions of privacy.
“As a result, being forced to live in such close proximity to strangers will lead to re-traumatisation of acutely vulnerable women and men.
“It is an appalling, inhumane and irresponsible way to treat people seeking safety. We would urge the UK Government to abandon this cruel plan.
“We also urge the First Minister to personally intervene now and instruct his government to identify and pursue all legal and policy options to stop this inhumane forced bedroom sharing happening in Scotland.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Home Office’s proposals to require unrelated people seeking asylum to share hotel rooms adds risk and stress for people at an already turbulent time.
“We firmly believe that the focus should instead be on improving the speed and quality of asylum decisions to reduce the time that people have to spend in hotel accommodation.
“The Scottish Government has received the letter from the Home Office and will respond in due course.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The pressure on the asylum system has continued to grow – there are currently more than 51,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £6 million a day.’
“We are constantly working with our suppliers to make best use of available asylum accommodation to reduce the need for more hotels and deliver best value for money for the taxpayer.”
