Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 10 September 2025
10 Sep 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Asylum Seeker Accommodation
It is not a debate that any of us relish, but it is one that our constituents, regardless of the party that we represent, want us to have.
I move,
That the Parliament acknowledges that the current number of asylum seekers accommodated in Scotland’s local authority areas is becoming financially “unsustainable” for them, as confirmed by the Scottish National Party leader of Glasgow City Council; believes that asylum seekers should never have originally been accommodated in taxpayer-funded hotels; calls for the closure of all asylum hotels across Scotland as soon as possible, and rejects the Scottish Government’s position outlined in its response to the UK Government’s immigration white paper, which would see a further increase in the number of asylum seekers coming to Scotland.
16:10In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-18780, in the name of Craig Hoy, on the impact of accommodating asylum seekers on Scottish local governme...
Craig Hoy (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
This is a debate that some members in the Parliament do not want us to have. It is one that is politically heated, and in which those on the liberal left wan...
The Minister for Equalities (Kaukab Stewart)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Craig Hoy
Con
Not at the moment. At the heart of the problem are criminal gangs who bring illegal immigrants into the country in small boats. In the year to June, nearly ...
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
Will the member give way?
Craig Hoy
Con
I will take an intervention at this point.
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
I welcome the measured tone that you started the debate with—language does matter.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Through the chair.
Kaukab Stewart
SNP
Does the member recognise that, in fact, the previous Conservative Government deliberately put a hold on processing claims to allow people to seek asylum and...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I can give Craig Hoy some of the time back.
Craig Hoy
Con
I recognise that. I also said at the outset that it would be an uncomfortable debate for parties that had recently been in government. I am not apportioning ...
The First Minister (John Swinney)
SNP
Will the member give way?
Craig Hoy
Con
I give way to Mr Swinney.
The First Minister
SNP
Although Mr Hoy is tacitly acknowledging the failure of the Conservative Government to properly manage the asylum regime over many years in office, he is bri...
Craig Hoy
Con
We can always rely on John Swinney to lower the tone. We are coming to the Parliament to reflect the legitimate views of reasonable people in a representativ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Through the chair, Mr Hoy.
Craig Hoy
Con
Mr Swinney is shaking his head, pretending that none of this is to do with him, but it is quite clear that, as Scotland has more liberal homelessness rules t...
Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Craig Hoy
Con
No, I will not. I do not have time. By councils’ own admission, the SNP’s approach is crippling. It is forcing them to prioritise the needs of those from el...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Craig Hoy
Con
I do not have time. That decision was taken by the previous Conservative Government in the eye of the Covid storm. Now, we have to admit that it was the wro...
Stuart McMillan
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Craig Hoy
Con
No, I do not have time. It is unfair and wrong that we are still spending millions of pounds every day providing hotels to asylum seekers and illegal immigr...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You need to conclude.
Craig Hoy
Con
The communities that I speak to want action from their Governments. They understand that Britain should be a place to live, work, flourish, and put down root...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You need to conclude, Mr Hoy.
Craig Hoy
Con
It is not a debate that any of us relish, but it is one that our constituents, regardless of the party that we represent, want us to have. I move, That th...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville)
SNP
Our words matter in this debate. They matter to the communities that we serve and those who seek our protection. Therefore, my message is clear: we must ensu...
Craig Hoy
Con
Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
I am quite happy to take an intervention from Craig Hoy on that point.