Why Serco has the power to evict asylum seekers under privatised system

Rupert Soames: open letter to Glasgow City Council Public services firm Serco has been heavily criticised over plans to start evicting the first of more than 300 refugees from temporary accommodation in Glasgow.

In an open letter to Glasgow City Council published earlier this week, Serco’s chief executive, Rupert Soames, said it was the company’s intention to give notice to no more than six single adult males this week and 12 next week.

If the individuals do not vacate their property within seven days, the locks will be changed.

The company says it is paying the housing costs of 330 people who no longer have leave to remain in the UK.

Serco, which is accommodating 5,000 asylum seekers in Glasgow on behalf of the Home Office, said it had been working on the eviction process with the city council for the past four months.

But Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken denied there had been any “meaningful engagement” over the plans and said the evictions risked creating a “humanitarian crisis”.

Hundreds attended a protest in Glasgow city centre earlier this week, with a further demonstration planned at the Home Office’s premises on Brand Street.

There have been repeated calls this week for Home Secretary Sajid Javid to intervene in the crisis.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “While an asylum claimisoutstanding,wewould not be seeking removal. Even if an asylum claim has failed, we will provide accommodation for those who would otherwise be destitute and who are temporarily unable to leave the UK because of a practical or legal obstacle.

“However, it is right that we prepare for someone’s removal if they do not have a lawful basis to stay in the UK and they are not pursuing an appeal.”

Research published last year found Glasgow was home to more asylum seekers than any other local authority in the UK.

Local authorities are no longer responsible for housing asylum seekers after the UK government privatised the system in 2012.