Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Impact of Accommodating Asylum Seekers on Scottish Local Government

Shirley-Anne Somerville S6M-18780.3 As an amendment to motion S6M-18780 in the name of Craig Hoy (Impact of Accommodating Asylum Seekers on Scottish Local Government), leave out from “acknowledges” to end and insert “ reaffirms individuals’ rights to asylum under international law, including the 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol; upholds the European Convention on Human Rights, and highlights Scotland’s place in the world as a welcoming nation to those fleeing persecution, conflict or danger.” Further details available for S6M-18780.3 Mark Griffin S6M-18780.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-18780 in the name of Craig Hoy (Impact of Accommodating Asylum Seekers on Scottish Local Government), leave out from “acknowledges” to end and insert “regrets that the previous UK Conservative administration left the asylum system in a state of collapse; recognises the progress made by the UK Labour administration to clear the backlog of asylum claims, and believes that the failure to tackle the challenges facing Scotland’s local authorities, public services and housing system, for which the Scottish Government has devolved responsibility and has received record levels of funding from the UK Labour administration, is the root cause of the housing emergency.” Further details available for S6M-18780.2 Craig Hoy S6M-18780 That the Parliament acknowledges that the current number of asylum seekers accommodated in Scotland's local authority areas is becoming financially "unsustainable" for them, as confirmed by the Scottish National Party leader of Glasgow City Council; believes that asylum seekers should never have originally been accommodated in taxpayer-funded hotels; calls for the closure of all asylum hotels across Scotland as soon as possible, and rejects the Scottish Government’s position outlined in its response to the UK Government’s immigration white paper, which would see a further increase in the number of asylum seekers coming to Scotland. Further details available for S6M-18780