Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has told Sky News he agrees a pause has “got to be put in place” on new asylum seekers coming to Glasgow as the system becomes overwhelmed.
The city is the frontline of the UK’s immigration system, with more arrivals than anywhere else.
Latest UK-wide figures show Glasgow was the local authority with the highest proportion of housed asylum seekers at 59 per 10,000 inhabitants (a total of 3,716).
The UK Home Office is mass-processing asylum claims in order to try and clear a backlog built up over years.
Once an asylum seeker is given the right to stay in the UK, they become a refugee and switch from being the responsibility of the Home Office to the local authority.
The SNP leader was pressed repeatedly by Sky News on whether he supports calls from local leaders in Glasgow for a temporary halt on new arrivals coming to the city for them to catch up with demand.
Speaking to Sky News ahead of the SNP conference in Aberdeen, Mr Swinney said Glasgow City Council’s demand is a “fair and reasonable approach”.
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Problems coming together
While immigration is controlled by Westminster, housing and healthcare are among the issues dealt with by the Scottish government.
Scotland’s homelessness legislation means councils must house anyone without a home.
It is a more generous policy than in England, where usually only those with “priority need” are given a roof over their head.
With community tensions spiking and Glasgow council facing a £66m black hole, the city’s leaders are demanding the Home Office pause relocations.
Mr Swinney told Sky News: “What the Home Office has got to with Glasgow is respond to their call for there to be more time given to enable the judgements around homelessness to be put in place.”
Pushed on whether he backs a pause in asylum arrives, Mr Swinney replied: “That’s not what the…
