Douglas Lumsden MP has described new plans to house almost 150 asylum seekers in Aberdeen as a “disgrace” after the Home Office revealed proposals for the city centre.
In a letter sent to the Aberdeen South MP, the Home Office said it is looking to house 149 asylum seekers at St Peter Street next to King Street.
The Home Office added that Aberdeen currently has 707 asylum seekers, with the plans for St Peter Street taking the city “above its service user demand plan allocation”.
Douglas Lumsden, the Scottish Conservative MP for Aberdeen South, has now written to the Home Office calling on the proposals to be suspended, saying the city is being used as a “scapegoat” for the Labour government’s failure to stop the small boat crossings.
Aberdeen currently houses the second highest number of asylum seekers in Scotland.
Lumsden said the plans will “callously heap yet more burden” on taxpayers across the city.
Scottish Conservative MP for Aberdeen South, Douglas Lumsden, who has now written to the Home Office and council, said: “These plans are a disgrace and as usual, residents have had no say on this ill-judged decision to house a further 149 asylum seekers in the city.
“Aberdeen is buckling under housing pressure, yet our city is being left to shoulder more asylum accommodation than it should be.
“It’s atrocious that both Labour and SNP governments would gladly house asylum seekers at the expense of people stuck waiting to find a property.
“Years of SNP failure in Aberdeen, from scrapping the local connection rule to removing priority need, have only made matters worse.
“The fact is these proposals will have huge implications on our public services, including our NHS, which is already at breaking point.
“Aberdeen City Council must put a stop to these plans by ensuring the needs of its local people are put first.
“Aberdeen should be a place for people to live, not become a hotel for those seeking to come here by asylum.”
In his letter to the Home Office, Douglas Lumdsen MP added: “I strongly oppose this decision and ask you to suspend its implementation pending an urgent review of local capacity and the basis on which these additional placements have been allocated to Aberdeen.
“The people of Aberdeen are being used as scapegoats for the continued failure of this Labour Government to stop the small boat crossings.
“Aberdeen already takes more than its fair share of asylum seekers. This outrageous plan completely disregards the wishes of local residents and is fundamentally unjust at a time when other local authorities across the UK do not take their fair share.
“Aberdeen City Council has an obligation to stop these plans, ensuring the needs of local people are put first.”
In its letter sent to Douglas Lumsden MP, the Home Office said: “To reduce hotel use, improve value for money and meet our legal obligations, we must now accelerate expansion of the national dispersal estate.
“I am writing to notify you that St Peter’s, Aberdeen AB24 3HU has been identified by our accommodation provider as suitable for up to 149 asylum seekers and approved for consideration as dispersal accommodation.
“If progressed, the site would take Aberdeen City above its Service User Demand Plan allocation.
“Home Office officials would welcome a meeting with Aberdeen City Council colleagues to discuss the proposal, local concerns, risks and relevant factors.”
