Question reference: S4W-30267
- Asked by: Jim Eadie, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 2 March 2016
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Current status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 March 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it takes to ensure that Police Scotland does not assist in processes that might result in asylum seekers being deported to unsafe conditions that are in violation of the Geneva Convention.
Answer
The removal of asylum seekers is a matter for the Home Office. This is not a police function.
Home Office Immigration Enforcement (HOIE) officers may ask for Police Scotland’s assistance as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of asylum seekers, HOIE personnel and the general public.
The Scottish Government believes that asylum seekers must be treated humanely and fairly, and with their dignity and rights upheld, at every stage of the asylum process. This is particularly important in cases where claims are not successful, where people are returned to their countries of origin and where children are involved.