More Scots councils to house refugees

Although Glasgow would continue to house the majority of refugees dispersed to Scotland to await a decision on their future, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Fife, West Dunbartonshire and South Lanarkshire would also provide accommodation.

Almost 6,000 asylum seekers are living rent-free in Glasgow under the current deal with the Home Office.

Four years into the contract, there are more asylum seekers living in the city than in any other region of Britain, heaping pressure on local services, particularly medical facilities.

The five other councils have signalled they are prepared to share the burden in a landmark deal that would see groups of asylum seekers sent to live in vacant houses across Scotland from March next year.

Critics warned the forced dispersal of thousands more immigrant men, women and children could spark a wave of local tensions across the country.

But the plans were last night welcomed by First Minister Jack McConnell, who believes more immigrants are the key to solving Scotland’s looming population crisis. Asylum seekers who are allowed to stay often have skills which are desperately needed in Scotland’s workplaces.

Andrew White, leader of West Dunbartonshire Council and the chair of Cosla’s working group on refugees and asylum seekers, said he was hopeful a number of contracts could be finalised soon with the National Asylum Support Service, the government agency that looks after refugees.

Until asylum seekers have their applications approved, they are prevented from working and are expected to live on around 30 a week in state benefits.

White said: "We are looking at Glasgow to see what lessons can be learned and we are aiming to support Glasgow and other local authorities who may well decide to enter into future contracts with NASS. I would hope that there will be further contracts, not just from Glasgow."

Three-quarters of Glasgow’s asylum seekers have a successful outcome to their application and half decide to stay in the city. The First Minister has already announced his intention to welcome 8,000 immigrants a year under his Fresh Talent initiative.

Scotland’s population is set to drop below five million in the next decade and Jack McConnell believes an influx of skilled asylum seekers and other foreigners could prevent economic disaster.

White said: "There are real benefits and local authorities will want to play their part in this. We welcome the First Minister’s Fresh Talent initiative and as far as local authorities are concerned we see ourselves as being key partners and will work closely on this."

Crucial points in the negotiations are cost, the accommodation councils can provide and support services, such as local translators.

Around 5,565 asylum seekers live in Glasgow. The city is also home to more than twice as many refugees per head of population as London. The top nationalities claiming refuge in the UK are from Iraq, Iran, Somalia and Turkey.

But there are fears the growing tide of asylum seekers and refugees has led to unrest in the deprived areas in which they are housed.

It is almost three years since Firsat Dag, a Kurdish asylum seeker was murdered in Glasgow. The 22-year-old, from southern Turkey, was stabbed in an unprovoked attack.

A recent survey by the charity Positive Action in Housing claimed racial harassment in the city soared by 75% over the past year. More than a quarter (28%) of ethnic minority families living in Glasgow said they had suffered racial harassment in the past 12 months. Robina Qureshi, the director of PAIH, said refugees had often fled torture and persecution simply to find they became the target of racist youths in some of Glasgow’s most deprived areas.

A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: "Local tensions can arise when asylum seekers are placed in any area. Sadly it brings out the worst elements in some people. But as long as we have got a cumbersome asylum system that situation is unavoidable."

Asylum seekers are sent to different parts of Britain on a "no-choice" basis under the government’s dispersal policy, designed to relieve pressure on housing and social services in the south of England by providing accommodation for asylum seekers in other parts of the UK.

A Home Office spokesman last night confirmed dispersal throughout Scotland was being examined.