Question reference: S6W-26504
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 27 March 2024
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Current status: Answered by Emma Roddick on 16 April 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recent reports that five asylum seekers living in hotels in Scotland have attempted suicide.
Answer
The Home Office is responsible for the provision of asylum accommodation and support, including the use of contingency hotels. The Scottish Government has consistently made clear to UK Government that hotels are not appropriate accommodation and we continue to be concerned about the effect prolonged stays in hotels have on people’s wellbeing.
People seeking asylum living in Scotland are entitled to access healthcare, including referral to mental health services. The Scottish Government funds a range of action that supports mental health and wellbeing which is available to anyone living in Scotland, regardless of their residence status.
Every suicide is a tragedy with a far-reaching impact on family, friends and the wider community. In implementing the Scottish Government and CoSLA’s suicide prevention strategy, Creating Hope Together, and its first 3-year Action Plan, we are working hard to tackle the inequalities that can lead to suicide and are prioritising communities and groups—including asylum seekers and refugees—with a heightened risk of suicide.