Hansard

Some weeks ago, I spoke in the debate on the Equal Opportunities Committee’s excellent report on issues relating to the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. Today, we are debating an equally excellent report on migration and trafficking.

Having read through the report’s main conclusions and recommendations, I was tempted to say that a lot of ground had been covered but that, despite the holding of 11 meetings on the subject and the fact that the report runs to 700 paragraphs, it only scratched the surface and raised more questions than answers. I had not intended to say that myself, in case it was perceived as a negative comment, so I was very pleased to read, when I finally got to paragraph 700, that

“the Committee reluctantly recognises that although it has covered a lot of ground in its inquiry, it has only scratched the surface of what are major issues”,

and that the inquiry had raised more questions than answers.

Like others, I thank Margaret Mitchell and her committee for a substantial piece of work, and I trust that their work will be continued beyond May this year. In that context, I question whether 1 hour 20 minutes is sufficient time to debate such a first-class report.

Like Richard Baker, I commend the fresh talent initiative, which the report praises highly. It is always good to know that Scotland can initiate good ideas that can be replicated across the UK. Likewise, I am sure that we can learn from other Governments and devolved Administrations.

I do not think that the UK Border Agency is the only organisation in which there is confusion about devolution issues. There could be much-improved working and communication among the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Government and Westminster on a host of issues across the board. Although the letter from Damian Green, the UK Minister of State for Immigration, came to us only hours before the debate, I was pleased to read that the memorandum of understanding between the Scottish Government and the Home Office

“is due for review after the Scotland Bill has been concluded.”

We welcome that.

Paragraph 134 of the report mentions that migrants from eastern Europe pay 37 per cent more in taxes than they receive in benefits and are more likely to start their own business. I know from one of Scotland’s biggest shortbread manufacturers, which is based in the area that I represent, that if migrant workers were not available to be involved in its production, it would consider moving some production capacity to Poland or even China.

The committee was right to raise the issue of language classes. Most migrant workers come here to work. They are not available in the daytime when classes are run and they do not mix so much outwith their own community. Investment in English learning for new migrants could save a huge amount of public money in translation fees.

In the past, many professional and highly trained people who have come to the Highlands from Poland and other eastern European countries have had to take jobs that were well below their capability for some considerable time, just to get the opportunity to learn the language. We would all benefit enormously if classes were offered at a time that suited migrants and which did not interfere with daytime work commitments. It is now the case that many eastern European workers use their children to translate. I am sure that members would agree that presenting with symptoms to a general practitioner or to someone else in the national health service can be highly problematic without sufficient language skills.

It is worrying that people do not have sufficient language skills, but it is even more worrying that, as the report says, public service and other service providers that advise and support migrant workers may not be fully aware of migrants’ rights and entitlements.

I was surprised to read the point that the report makes about the Gangmasters Licensing Authority; I am sure that we all thought that the relevant power already existed in Scotland.

Finally, paragraph 664 states that Scotland could be seen as a soft touch for traffickers because of the lack of prosecutions. None of us would want that to be the case.

I highly commend the report.

16:34