Warm Welcome? Understanding public attitutes to asylum seekers in Scotland
Following similar research in England and Wales, this study set out to find out what people in Scotland think about asylum seekers and refugees, and to establish what informs these opinions. A total of 13 structured focus groups were conducted across Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow with a range of participants from different backgrounds. In addition to examining what people think, the study showed that where concerns exist about asylum seekers in Scotland, they are fuelled by fears about the impact of asylum seekers on the economy and employment. The study concludes by offering recommendations to a wide-ranging set of interested parties including the UK Government, the Scottish Executive, CoSLA, the STUC, religious bodies and Scottish refugee-assisting voluntary sector agencies.
