Govan Law Centre secure further 3-month suspension of SERCO asylum seeker lock change evictions

Govan Law Centre heard today that they have secured Glasgow asylum-seekers affected by the SERCO ‘lock change’ evictions a further stay of three months. This is in light of our application for permission to appeal to the UK Supreme Court in respect of the Inner House of the Court of Session’s decision in the case of Ali v Serco Ltd, Compass SNI Ltd and the Secretary of State for the Home Office.

Further, that in four test cases, the Sheriff Principal has discharged the hearings assigned for the 5 March 2020 and continued same to 26 March 2020 at 9.30am. This means that the cases have also been deferred to a new court date for the outcome of our application to appeal to the UK Supreme Court.

This essentially means that people who have cases concerning Serco, can remain in their homes until a decision has been reached by the UK Supreme Court. This is welcome news and means that GLC’s appeal case has kept hundreds of asylum seekers in their homes for the best part of two years.

Mike Dailly, solicitor advocate at Govan Law Centre said: “The Sheriff Principal’s decision to pause the Serco appeal cases is welcome news for Asylum Seekers in Glasgow who are subject to eviction action by Serco from their homes. It will alleviate what is a very stressful time for our clients. We remain convinced that asylum seekers should be afforded the same rights as everyone else. We will continue to work with our partners to try and overturn the decision of SERCO and the Scottish courts.”

Serco provide asylum seekers with accommodation under the UK Government’s dispersal programme. They have been trying to evict asylum seekers without a court order. In normal circumstance you cannot evict a tenant or residential occupier in the UK without a court order.

Asylum seekers have no right to work, cannot access the benefit system and rely on public services and charitable services like food banks. Asylum seekers are often exploited and are often living in very poor conditions. Many are destitute.

Notes

Mike Dailly, solicitor advocate is instructed to represent asylum seekers threatened with lock change eviction by SERCO. Further media releases and details can be found at https://govanlawcentre.org/latest-press-releases

For further information:
Danny Phillips: 07717715277
Govan Law Centre: 0141 440 2503

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