Home Office took ‘poor approach’ to asylum barracks announcement – Swinney

The Home Office took a “poor approach” to the announcement of plans to house around 300 asylum seekers at a military barracks in Inverness, John Swinney has said.

The announcement came on Tuesday, but the Scottish Government said there had been no prior consultation on the issue, while Highland Council was told just the day before, according to a statement.

While the Scottish Government has raised concerns about the suitability of Cameron Barracks, the main gripe of ministers is the lack of engagement from the Home Office.

Speaking to journalists following a speech in Edinburgh on Wednesday, First Minister Mr Swinney said: “I think whatever approach is taken here, the emphasis has got to be on engagement with communities about the proposals that are being brought forward.

“I think the reaction from Highland Council and a number of community representatives in Inverness demonstrates there has absolutely been a poor approach taken by the Home Office, which is, frankly, consistent with how the Home Office operates.

“I recognise these are sensitive issues and they require careful and sensitive handling and they require good engagement. All of that has been missing from how the Home Office has gone about this.”

The First Minster would not be drawn on his preferred method for housing asylum seekers in Scotland, saying there have been hotels used in his constituency which were “carefully managed and addressed”.

Pressed on the issue, he said: “We could go through a list of prospective accommodation, I’m just going to say that people have got to be treated with respect and the circumstances have got to be the subject of good dialogue with local communities.”

In a joint statement from its convener, leader and the leader of the opposition, Highland Council said there are concerns about “community cohesion” if the plans go ahead.

Mr Swinney said such concerns are the result of a failure of the Home Office to work with the local community to assess the availability of local services.

The Home Office has been asked for comment.

Speaking to journalists later at the same Edinburgh event, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said it should not have come as a surprise that the barracks was being mooted as a potential site.

“It has been a clear policy indication from the UK Labour Government for a very long time now that they want to end the use of asylum hotels, that they recognise the pressures that exist in the housing stock across the country, and how that then has knock-on impacts and challenges when you have a housing emergency in Scotland.

“So for the Scottish Government to pretend that somehow this is now a shock, I just don’t buy that argument.

“What is it they’re suggesting? Are they suggesting we should instead use asylum hotels or social housing? Or are they supporting the use of the barracks?

“I think the confusion is on the party of the Scottish Government’s policy and position here.”

Mr Sarwar also pushed back on claims the housing of asylum seekers could endanger women and girls, saying people should be “careful that we are not amplifying a message too many on the far right want to portray, that every single person that is waiting for a decision from the Home Office is somehow a threat and a danger to our communities and our society”.