Douglas Alexander 'perplexed' at SNP minister claiming to hear about asylum seeker plan on radio

The Scottish Secretary said it was not “fair” to “suggest that there hasn’t been engagement” from the Home Office with the Scottish Government over the plan to host asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks.

He pointed the finger at Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville for claiming she “learned” about the plans “through the media”, stressing she had written to the Home Office about the issue weeks before.

About 300 men would be housed at the Inverness barracks under UK government efforts to close asylum hotels.

Ms Somerville had said she was “deeply disappointed” she had not had “a formal notification” or been “part of a collaborative discussion before any decision had been made”.

But Mr Alexander said meetings had been held with the Scottish Government before the Cameron Barracks proposal was announced.

East Lothian MP Mr Alexander told the Scottish Affairs Committee on Wednesday morning: “On September 15, there was an initial conference call with the Scottish Government's officials about potential plans to consider Cameron barracks as alternative asylum accommodation.

“On September 26, a letter came into the Home Office from the Scottish Cabinet minister Shirley-Anne Somerville, covering a number of topics, including reference to the potential use of Cameron Barracks.

“On October 9, there were video meetings that were held with senior representatives from Police Scotland Highlands Division, NHS Scotland, Cosla and the Scottish Government.”

He continued: “On October 27... Cameron Barracks, along with Crowborough in East Sussex, was named in the media and therefore confirmed publicly by the Home Office as being accurate.

“In that sense, I recognise the legal obligation that we have as a UK government to provide appropriate accommodation to asylum seekers is one that is a matter of significant public sensitivity. But I don’t think it would be fair to suggest that there hasn’t been engagement by the Home Office colleagues, who lead on this matter for the UK government, with a range of local organisations including the Scottish Government.

“When I heard Shirley-Anne Somerville claim that she had heard about it while on the radio, I was perplexed given that she had already written a letter to the Home Office on September 26 about Cameron Barracks.”

Ms Somerville had said in the Holyrood Chamber on October 29: “I was deeply disappointed to learn about the Home Office’s plans to accommodate people seeking asylum in Cameron barracks in Inverness from the media yesterday, rather than through, at the very least, a formal notification — or, as should have been the case, as part of a collaborative discussion before any decision had been made.

“On hearing that Scottish Government officials had been notified that the Home Office was considering Cameron Barracks, I wrote to the Home Secretary in September to seek an urgent meeting.

“I have been clear with the Home Office that the plans must fully consider the impact on the local community and the appropriateness of the site to accommodate that group of people. I understand that a meeting is in the process of being scheduled.”