Question reference: S6W-08901
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 7 June 2022
-
Current status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 June 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recent reports of refugees from Ukraine who have relocated to Scotland being removed from accommodation against their will.
Answer
Our absolute priority is ensuring the wellbeing and safety of displaced people from Ukraine. It is not the case that anyone was removed from accommodation against their will. A number of weeks ago, a small group of displaced people from Ukraine volunteered to change hotels to make rooms available for those arriving late at night into Edinburgh airport. The Resettlement Team ensured everyone understood this was a voluntary arrangement and that rooms were available should they decide to stay.
The Scottish Government is working to ensure that there is temporary accommodation available in cities where people may arrive late at night. This, as well as the temporary nature of some of the hotel availability means that in some cases, people will be requested to move into another hotel. The Scottish Government is working to reduce this need and to support people to move on from hotel accommodation into longer-term accommodation.