Lanarkshire Live can confirm 60 refugees are living in an East Kilbride hotel, despite grave concerns being raised by local politicians.
We first reported on the matter in December, when South Lanarkshire Council said it knew nothing about it.
However, we now understand the local authority has been in regular meetings with the Home Office and Mears Housing to accommodate those in need since December.
Following that report, we can now reveal that the Bruce Hotel is being used to house 60, reportedly single men, who have crossed the English Channel by boat.
Fleeing conflict and poverty from war-torn countries in search for a better life in the UK, some have raised concerns at the immigrants being housed in a Lanarkshire hotel.
East Kilbride MP Lisa Cameron hit out at the move, telling us she had initially been “shut out” of any operational meetings.
She added: “I have had ongoing communication at the highest level of the Home Office and have informed them that I do not believe a hotel is a suitable place for asylum seekers, as it does not meet their wellbeing needs.”
The Home Office is now accommodating more than 250 asylum seekers in hotels across the country as part of “contingency arrangements” to handle a huge influx of immigrants descending on the French coast of Calais.
A spokesman previously said that temporary accommodation was not ideal, but allowed them to meet their “statutory duties” as a result of “unprecedented demand”.
The Home Office told us on Friday: “The use of hotels is unacceptable.
“It’s a necessary short-term solution to the global migration crisis and we are working with local authorities to find appropriate long-term accommodation.”
Refugees at the six-storey 65-bed hotel are now registered with a GP, with Covid vaccinations being offered to arrivals.
A weekly calendar of activities has been organised, which recently included a Burns supper, with swim and gym passes also made available through South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture.
However, there are fears the refugees - believed to have arrived in East Kilbride over Christmas and New Year - have been left without adequate support, with the town’s MSP supporting her SNP colleague.
Collette Stevenson said she had “serious concerns” over the decision and has requested an “urgent” meeting with the Home Office.
The MSP said: “I was told asylum seekers were left without adequate support at the Bruce Hotel and that local voluntary services were dumped with paperwork from the Home Office.
“I have serious concerns there is inadequate legal support being offered to those seeking asylum.
"There is a real worry here that lessons have not been learned following the tragic incident at the Park Inn in Glasgow, and we shouldn’t accept the normalisation of this type of accommodation with the Home Office bypassing local authorities.
“They need stability and they should be housed adequately in the community.”
However, the Home Office say they have liaised with the Scottish Legal Aid Board and Scottish Immigration Legal Practitioners Association to ensure access to legal support.
It is understood those housed in Scottish hotels are often moved to other accommodation in the UK, making room for more displaced migrants to come through.
Acting on behalf of the Home Office, private housing provider Mears told us the support and welfare of service users is of the “utmost importance” to them.
A spokesman for the organisation said: “We are using a hotel in East Kilbride as part of contingency accommodation arrangements.
“Supporting the welfare of service users is of the utmost importance to Mears.
"We have been working very closely and positively with local authorities and with other partners, including health and welfare teams and NGOs to provide support to service users.”
Clothing donations are being coordinated with Alison Lea Mosque, Eastwood Refugee Centre and East Kilbride’s Share Alike charity.
Lanarkshire Live understands fortnightly partnership meetings now take place between the council, Home Office, Police Scotland, NHS representatives and the Mears team.
Mears meet weekly with VASLAN representatives to review service user requirements and activities.
A council spokesman told us: “We can confirm a number of asylum seekers are being housed in South Lanarkshire by the Home Office.
“Council staff and community groups have been providing additional support on a humanitarian basis.”
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