Surge in costs after Tories botch úp asylum processing

THE Red Cross should be drafted in to solve a spiralling refugee housing crisis, campaigners have demanded.

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The Record can reveal that in Glasgow alone, the council spent £16.5million between April and July 20 this year housing homeless people in hotels and B&Bs.

Official figures also show that of 2242 homeless people being housed in hotels and B&Bs in the city, 1615 were refugees.

In the first nine weeks of that period, the hotel and B&B cost was £7.2million but by July 20 it had risen by a further nine million to £16,598,706.

At that rate of spending, the final bill for the current financial year could be as high as £55million - compared with the £45.2million spent last year - a rise of about £10million.

The increase in spending has been blamed on a surge in migrants in Glasgow - including refugees who have been given leave to remain in the UK - stands at 8530.

Of that total, 2242 are living in hotels and B&B accommodation, and the rest in furnished flats and homeless shelters.