MPs from the city of Glasgow have called for a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the deaths of three asylum seekers who recently died in the city.
Seven Glasgow-based MPs have written to the Lord Advocate to request an inquiry to address "escalating public concerns" and avoid future tragedies.
Glasgow South West MP Chris Stephens told BBC Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland radio programme the first case was Adnan Elbi in the Mclays Guest House.
The third death came earlier this month when Uganda-born Mercy Baguma was found dead in the hallway of her Glasgow flat with son Adriel alone in his cot.
As lead signature of the letter, Mr Stephens said: “I believe that a fatal accident inquiry, which is what was requested, may very well find that the key thread going through it is the challenges of the asylum system and how asylum seekers have been been treated during Covid-19.
“Certainly we know that there is no vulnerability assessments being carried out in relation to two of the cases, we know that Mercy was due to move to other accommodation from (the Mears Group) a couple of days before she was phoned.
“Our view is that there is a clear thread and that is how the asylum process and system is treating asylum seekers.
“We’ve seen evidence that the BAME community have suffered most during Covid, we know in some of these circumstances people feel when they’ve been placed in other accommodation that they feel as if they’re going through another detention.
“We certainly feel that the lack of monies been given to asylum seekers is exacerbating poverty and destitution for asylum seekers in Glasgow.”
He added that asylum seekers are entitled to just £37-a-week but suggested those in hotel accommodation do not receive any money.
READ MORE: Mercy Baguma: Body to be flown to Uganda as family plan vigil in Govan, Glasgow
However, the Mears Group contractor and the Home Office have previously denied these claims – who minister Chris Philp said in July would be urgently reviewing concerns over housing asylum seekers in hotels in the wake of the incident at the Park Inn Hotel the previous month.
Badreddin Abadlla Adam from Sudan was shot dead by police after his attack at the West George Street hotel in June which left six people injured including a police constable.
Mr Stephens added: “I think the public do want to know what is going on here.
“We can’t rely on the Home Office – they claim that they’re carrying out an internal evaluation but won’t tell us if that’ll be published, won’t tell us if MPs will have an opportunity to raise in the floor of the House of Commons with ministers the outcome of that evaluation.
“Certainly we feel there’s a public interest here to find out what has caused these deaths and whether the asylum system itself is partly responsible.”
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