Asylum seekers complain Scotland and Wales are ’too cold’

Refugees from Afghanistan are being housed in hotels at a cost of £1 million a day in the run-up to the first anniversary of the Taliban takeover, it has emerged. Some have refused accommodation with reasons including that they do not want to go to Scotland or Wales because they believe they don’t speak the language and the countries are cold, according to unconfirmed reports. Around 9,500 refugees are still living in hotels, one year on from the Taliban seizing power on August 15 last year. Some 70 hotels are understood to still be in use at a daily cost of £1 million. This is slightly down from 84 hotels which were previously being used, and it is understood officials are constantly looking at ways to drive down the cost. In February, the Home Affairs Committee heard that the Government was spending £4.7 million a day housing asylum seekers in hotels, of which £1.2 million was being spent specifically on Afghan refugees. Around 7,000 Afghanistan