A second cruise ship to be used as accommodation for Ukrainian refugees has arrived in Glasgow.
The M/S Ambition has been chartered by the Scottish Government for six months to accommodate up to 1,750 people in 714 cabins and will be located at King George V docks on the River Clyde. Those being housed on the vessel will have access to restaurants, child play facilities, shops, cleaning, and communal spaces and will be able able to come and go from the ship via a shuttle bus service which will run 24 hours a day.
The government has said those displaced will also be given access to support services including healthcare and benefits support. The plans have been criticised by refugee charity Refuweegee who have described the accommodation as 'unsafe, undignified and unacceptable'.
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The charity said: "Let us be clear, we consider anything over one week, an unacceptable amount of time in this type of accommodation. It is unsafe, undignified, and unacceptable."
They say they have seen a 'huge' increase in the number of people asking for panty liner donations due to a lack of laundry facilities on board the M/S Ambition and have appealed for donations from the public. Refuweegee is also asking for donations of hand sanitiser, deodorant, and period products.
A further cruise ship, the M/S Victoria, is currently docked in Leith to accommodate refugees. The ship was chartered by The Scottish Government on a contract which lasts until January 2023.
Minister with Special Responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine Neil Gray said: “The Scottish Government is providing accommodation that is safe and sustainable while people are waiting to be matched to suitable longer-term accommodation. The arrival of the M/S Ambition in Glasgow is a key part of that provision which means we are providing sanctuary to more displaced people per head of population than any other part of the UK.
“We are working closely with the council and other local partners to finalise plans for how the ship will be used, with the safeguarding of the people on board being the absolute priority. Now that the M/S Ambition has arrived, this work will begin at pace and people will move on board once the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council are satisfied that the necessary preparations, including health and safety checks, have been satisfied.
“We do not want people spending more time in temporary accommodation, such as the cruise ships, for any longer than is absolutely necessary. We continue to take significant action to increase our temporary accommodation capacity as well as boosting our matching system to maximise the number of people who can be placed with volunteer hosts who have completed the necessary safeguarding checks.”
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