Council says ship would be 'floating prison' for asylum seekers

Edinburgh's assembly person says Home Office plans to committee a cruise vessel successful Leith to location asylum seekers volition crook it into a "floating prison".

Cammy Day said the metropolis assembly had not been consulted connected proposals to determination asylum seekers onto the MS Victoria.

The vessel has antecedently housed much than 1,000 Ukranian refugees, with the past owed to permission the vessel connected 11 July.

The Home Office said it had a "statutory work to supply accommodation for asylum seekers".

Mr Day said the imaginable consequences for the metropolis and pressures connected services were "severe".

He said the assembly was "extremely surprised" to beryllium contacted by the Home Office astir their intentions to committee the vessel to location asylum seekers, adding that it was "all the much astonishing fixed their erstwhile proposal that it would beryllium intolerable for it to remain".

He added that the assembly had shown solidarity and enactment for thousands of Ukranian refugees, on with those from Syria, Afghanistan and Sudan, and remained "absolutely committed to supporting them successful immoderate mode we can".

But helium said asylum seekers needed recognition, rights and support, not an "unknown future".

The assembly has present agreed to constitute to the UK authorities astir its decision.

"We were not consulted connected this and urgently necessitate further details from the UK authorities connected their plans," Mr Day said.

"I cognize the Scottish authorities and Cosla are successful the aforesaid presumption and, having written jointly to the curate of authorities for immigration, Robert Jenrick MP, we've yet to person a satisfactory effect to our questions and concerns."

He added: "The imaginable consequences for the assembly successful presumption of the pressures connected our services - and the metropolis arsenic a full - are terrible and, barring robust concern discussions involving NHS, constabulary and different colleagues, we volition proceed to reason these plans successful the strongest terms."

He said the assembly believed that Forth Ports was besides opposed to the proposals.

"Many of these radical person risked their lives to marque it to Europe and what they request is designation and rights, not an chartless aboriginal without the enactment they truthful desperately need," helium added.

"While the MS Victoria has been a spot of refuge for galore Ukrainian families arriving successful Edinburgh, until we person capable reassurances from the UK authorities regarding the payment and ongoing engagement and support, we cannot let it to go a floating situation for asylum seekers."

The Scottish government's migration and refugees curate Emma Roddick said: "We person made wide to the UK authorities that vessels are not suitable accommodation for radical seeking asylum.

"Housing asylum seekers successful vessels cannot beryllium compared with their usage to temporarily accommodate displaced radical from Ukraine due to the fact that of cardinal differences successful presumption of their rights and agency."

She said that portion radical were waiting for a determination connected their asylum exertion determination were strict restrictions connected the close to enactment and nary entree to astir mainstream benefits.

She added: "If the UK authorities chooses to enforce the usage of the Ms Victoria to accommodate radical successful Edinburgh it indispensable supply suitable backing for the assembly and different section devolved services similar wellness and policing, and guarantee services are provided truthful that radical tin beryllium supported appropriately."

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The Home Office has a statutory work to supply accommodation for asylum seekers who would different beryllium destitute portion we see their claim.

"The important summation successful illegal, unnecessary and unsafe Channel crossings has enactment our asylum strategy nether unthinkable strain and made it indispensable to proceed to usage hotels to accommodate immoderate asylum seekers.

"We are committed to making each effort to trim edifice usage and proceed to prosecute with section authorities arsenic aboriginal arsenic imaginable whenever sites are utilized for asylum accommodation."