Refugee housing f irm loses deal

A COMPANY caught up in a refugee eviction row has lost its asylum accommodation contract.

Serco, which was contracted by the Home Office, will stop providing the housing in Scotland from September, with the contract going to Mears Group.

Serco was criticised last summer after it announced a rolling lockchange eviction process for asylum seekers in Glasgow.

The Scottish Refugee Council welcomed the contract change.

Policy officer Graham O’Neill said: ‘We want to see the new housing provider working collaboratively with Glasgow City Council, sharing decision-making with the council and working transparently with local services and communities.’

Julia Rogers, managing director of Serco’s immigration business, said: ‘We are obviously disappointed not to have won the competition in Scotland.’

Jennifer Layden, the council’s convener for equalities and human rights, said: ‘The Home Office must now commit to ensuring that Mears performs significantly better than their predecessors in providing support to vulnerable people and, crucially, how they approach partnership working with the council.’

The contract was one of seven awarded to different providers by the UK Government.

Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes said: ‘The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those who need it and these new contracts will make sure that asylum seekers are treated with dignity and respect in safe, secure and suitable accommodation.’