MacDonald questions government over plans to house asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks

Angus MacDonald MP has today secured an urgent question in the House of Commons following confirmation from the Home Office that up to 300 asylum seekers are to be housed at Cameron Barracks in Inverness.

Mr MacDonald, who served at Cameron Barracks, expressed his “deep concern” at the decision and the lack of prior engagement with local representatives, the Scottish Government, and Highland Council. He highlighted the central location of the site and the proposed accommodation of up to 300 single male asylum seekers, due to arrive at the end of November.

Speaking in the Chamber, he said:

“I know that place well because I was based there in the Army. It is residential, it is surrounded by housing, very, very close. And what’s more, it’s only 10 minutes from the Inverness city centre. I asked for a briefing from the Home Office and got one, which was wonderful. What I learned is there’s going to be up to 300 males there - single asylum seekers, and they’ll move in at the end of November.

“I have a few questions from that. Why was I not engaged in any sort of discussion about this? Why was the Scottish Government not engaged in conversation? And why were the Highland Council and other authorities just informed? They were not engaged, which was the word you used.

“The second question I have is, did the Home Office officials actually consider the fact it was a city centre before they agreed to take it on? Why is it okay to close town centre migrant hotels in the south of England yet plan to house 300 migrant men in Army quarters in Inverness city centre? It’s effectively the same thing.

“Would the Minister meet me to discuss the Home Office halting the plan to utilise Cameron Barracks to house migrants?”

Alex Norris MP, Minister of State at the Home Office, replied:

“I recognise the anger that the Honourable Gentleman conveys there. I am sorry that he heard in the way that he did. I, of course, will have that meeting with him. It can be difficult to sequence this correctly. We live, as all colleagues know, in an age of mis- and disinformation, and trying to sequence who hears what and when is, or can be sticky. But nevertheless, he should not have heard in the way that he did.

“We’re looking at all sites in that regard, be they a hotel, be they dispersed accommodation. Always the local context is considered. I would gently say that, of course, both sites have been used recently for the Afghan resettlement scheme so there is, you know, there is a clear understanding across government of the capabilities of those sites and, of course their locations as well.

“I want to be very clear what's at stake here, because the Honourable Gentleman talks about closures of hotels. Now, we know that hotels are an exceptionally challenging issue in this country. Too many people come to this country being sold a dream that they will be housed in a hotel and they’ll be able to work illegally in our economy. Today, we have announced that we've had our best ever year for illegal work rates with a thousand people deported as a result. But we have to break the model that says you'll get to live in a hotel and work illegally, and this is a really important part of that.”

Following the exchange, Mr MacDonald said:

“This Labour Government is just moving asylum seekers from one kind of unsuitable and costly accommodation to another, instead of tackling the real issue - speeding up asylum decisions so those with no right to stay are returned. It's the same failed tactics that the Conservatives employed when they allowed our immigration system to be overwhelmed in the first place.

“Compassion must guide our approach, but so must common sense. Cameron Barracks is surrounded by homes and just minutes from the High Street, raising the same concerns the Government cited when closing migrant hotels.

“I am glad that the Minister agreed to meet with me, but I am disappointed that they have barrelled ahead with this plan with so little thought for the impact on the community of Inverness, the local authority and health services that have been left in the lurch and these unfortunate arrivals who will now find themselves shunted from one end of the country to another."