MSP Edward Mountain asks UK government 10 questions about Inverness asylum seekers plan saying ‘secrecy is the enemy of truth’ and stoked ‘hatred’
MSP Edward Mountain has written to Alex Norris, the UK Minister for Border Security and Asylum, with 10 questions over proposals to locate 300 male asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks in Inverness.
The Conservative MSP Mountain is furious that there has been a lack of clarity about the planning and implementation of the proposals which he argued had “only helped to encourage rumours and hatred.”
That view was shared by the SNP’s social justice secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville who earlier discussed the issue with Mr Norris and left the meeting with similar feelings.
She fears the region will be left to pay for “health, policing and other local services” and called on the Home Office to “provide urgent clarity to stop the spread of disinformation amongst communities in Inverness.”
Mr Mountain’s open letter to Mr Norris sought answers to the origins of the proposal, funding, planning, facilities, local safety, community impact, homelessness, health, and the asylum seekers’ day-to-day movements.
Mr Mountain also stated that there has been “no information presented to elected representatives on either the decision-making process or the measures which will be put in place ahead of the asylum seekers moving into Cameron Barracks.”
The letter comes after his Urgent Question in Holyrood last week saw him challenge Ms Somerville on the different versions of events offered by the UK and Scottish governments.
He has criticised the lack of consultation with local communities and local services, while highlighting inconsistencies between UK and Scottish government claims regarding communications on the proposal.
But he also underlined that he does not condone any racism or xenophobia in discussions on the topic – but open and honest discussion is essential to ensure that the correct provisions are considered and enforced.
“I have decided to write and publish this open letter because of the lack of information which elected representatives and local communities have been given regarding single male asylum seekers being housed at Cameron Barracks,” he said.
“Secrecy is the enemy of truth, and the UK Government needs to provide Highlanders with all of the facts. So far, insufficient communications regarding Cameron Barracks have only helped to encourage rumours and hatred.
“My letter gives the UK Government the chance to set the record straight and outline the provisions they intend to implement to support local communities, and to ensure that our health and other public services do not suffer as a result of 300 people moving into Cameron Barracks.
“I sincerely hope that the valid concerns of my constituents, which I have outlined in the letter, are taken into account, and I look forward to receiving a response from the Minister in due course.”