Hansard

The inquiry by the Equal Opportunities Committee was very important and it will make an important contribution to public discourse about migration in Scotland. I do not need to tell anyone in the chamber that migration is a contentious political topic that all too often generates more heat than light. That contentiousness did not form part of the committee’s approach and, from the outset, the inquiry was grounded on committee members’ shared understanding that migrants have made and do make significant contributions to Scottish social, cultural and economic life. All my colleagues approached the inquiry in that spirit and, as a consequence, it was a positive experience that, if our recommendations are heeded and acted upon, has the potential to lead to positive outcomes.

Our recommendations are wide ranging and cover issues in public services, employment and skills, relations between the Scottish and UK Governments, data collection, and the information and support that are available to migrants. I do not have time to go into all the details about those issues, and I echo the points that other members have made about more time for the debate. The inquiry report has uncovered and collated some genuinely new and useful information on each of those areas and it has made practical and achievable recommendations about how we can move forward.

I think that I am right in saying that the public perception of migrants, the role that the media and politicians play in shaping that perception and the feeling among committee members that there are many myths out there that feed negative attitudes were the starting point for a wider inquiry. For me, it was a bit about myth busting. The evidence that we received made it clear that the general attitude to migrants in Scotland remains, sadly, negative, if not overwhelmingly so—we got some good examples in the inquiry. Prejudice exists and it will, as the report acknowledges, continue to exist in some folk even when they are in full possession of all the facts. There is no doubt that prejudice grows as a result of ignorance and misinformation and that, by busting the myths about migration, we have a better chance of building understanding across our communities. One of our central recommendations is that a concerted programme of education and awareness raising that is led by Government and extends right across all public services should be undertaken.

I am pleased that the Scottish Government’s response to the report is unequivocal in its recognition that political leadership is at the heart of achieving the tolerant and cohesive society that we wish for. That leadership must come not just from Government, but from all of us who have been elected to political office. We have a responsibility to the communities and the nation that we serve to challenge myths and ignorance and to refuse to pander to media that, as we heard in evidence, too often seek to blame migrants for society’s ills. We do not have to be strident, but we have to be steadfast. The committee’s report gives us some of the tools that we need to perform that task.

I want to touch on trafficking, as it is close to my heart—I am a campaigner for Stop the Traffik. I am extremely disappointed by Damian Green’s response to our report and that he will not pursue a right of appeal on the status of a trafficked person. The right of people to appeal should be built into the national referral mechanism. I am very disappointed that Damian Green will not pursue that.

Trafficking was a major element of the inquiry. I wish that we had more time to talk about it, because some things that came out about it were heart wrenching. We heard extremely sobering evidence that made it clear that, although our knowledge of the nature and extent of trafficking in Scotland is growing, it is still far from adequate for us to be able to take on the traffickers as effectively as we need to. Trafficking is invidious and hidden.

I acknowledge the strong stance that the Scottish Government has taken against trafficking and that its efforts are sometimes frustrated because some powers are reserved to the UK Government. Obviously, I would say that, because I think that they are, but I also argue that we all have to raise our game in the face of the problem. Again, I refer to Damian Green’s response. I am disappointed that the UKBA is still refusing to communicate with MSPs on an equal footing and is not giving us parity with MPs. That is a real mistake.

I hope that the anti-trafficking provisions in the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 will help to bolster the legal fight against traffickers, and I urge the Government to keep a close eye on the impact of those new provisions. Ultimately, nothing will more strongly send the message that Scotland does not tolerate trafficking than a successful prosecution that leads to the conviction of traffickers. As we have heard, that has not yet happened here, but I know that the Scottish Government and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice are working towards that and are committed to achieving it.

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