The Scottish Government has requested a meeting with the new UK Government to discuss help for Glasgow with a growing number of asylum seekers and refugees.

Paul McLennan, Housing Minister, said, there needs to be better planning to ease the pressure on the wider homeless services in the city.

Speaking to the Glasgow Times he said the biggest pressure that has led to Glasgow’s housing emergency has been having to cope with asylum seekers.

He also said Glasgow needs more social housing and efforts are underway to help achieve that.

Speaking to the Glasgow Times during a visit to a supported housing unit in Maryhill, he said talks have been requested with the new UK Government.

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He was asked about the Glasgow Times End the Homeless Hotel Shame campaign and he said there needs to be better coordination between the council and UK Government  more action to increase the housing supply.

The campaign, with Govan Law Centre, asks for an inspection regime for the hotels, help from the Scottish Government for social housing and help from the UK Government to deal with refugees who become homeless.

On the homeless hotels, he said it has been exacerbated by the increase in asylum seekers and highlighted a lack of ability to plan effectively.

McLennan said: “Councils were told sometimes maybe with just a couple of days notice that they were getting X number of people.

“They’re staying in hotels, with no support mechanism, no recourse to public funds.

“It puts real pressure on temporary accommodation for example.

“One of the key things is working closer with the UK government to make them aware of the pressures.”

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He said when they are processed it puts pressure with council having to find somewhere to accommodate them.

The Minster added: “We had a meeting prior to the UK election with Mears (Home Office housing provider) and Glasgow City Council on how we make sure that process is as effective as possible.

“The Scottish Government has requested a meeting to make sure, one, it's funded and two, the process starts much earlier.”

We asked the minister if he was aware of concerns about the condition of some of the hotels used for homeless people.

He said: “Yes, that’s been raised. There are a number of issues and you’ve reported it.

“One is about the safeguarding and this is where it becomes really important to sit down with the UK Government at a much earlier stage to be planning for what we need to do.

“There are issues around temporary accommodation in the city. If we add on the asylum issue, there’s no ability to plan.

“We’re aware of that and we discuss that with Glasgow. We need to make sure the UK, Government, the Scottish Government and providers are dealing with this as soon as possible and we can plan as effectively as we possibly can.”

On the physical standards we have highlighted, he said: “I’ve not visited. I’ve been made aware of it by the council and they have concerns about it.”

On the need for tougher standards he added: “Yes, I think there has to be that.”

He said: “This will be one of the key things I know the cabinet secretary has asked for a meeting on.”

The minister said the Scottish Government was looking at different ways to support new housebuilding by housing associations.

He said: “We sit down with Glasgow and with housing associations on a regular basis to try and get as many houses through as possible.”

He added: “Not every housing association has that ability or appetite to go out and borrow, so is about speaking to all housing associations and trying to support them in terms of grant funding.

“We’re in discussions with the Scottish National Investment Bank, Scottish Futures Trust about different ways we can finance that.

“Also, looking at some of the projects at the moment that are stalled. That might be through funding that might be through land issues.”