Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 17 June 2014
17 Jun 2014 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
I despair of the constant negativity from the SNP, which is always looking at what we cannot do instead of at what we can do. There is plenty of scope to improve the system within devolved responsibilities.
At the most recent general election, the Liberal Democrats were the only party to campaign to end child detention. More than 7,000 children were locked up in the last five years of Labour’s Administration, which is an average of almost four children a day. We committed to ending that course of action and we have delivered on that commitment.
The new pre-departure accommodation at Cedars, in Gatwick, was designed and is operating in conjunction with Barnardo’s. It is used only as a last resort, on the advice of an independent panel of child welfare experts, after all voluntary return options have failed. At the most, it can accommodate only nine families at a time in self-contained apartments. It offers the maximum freedom of movement and privacy within an unobtrusive, secure perimeter and with welfare services provided by Barnardo’s. The name Cedars stands for the principles that staff work to, which we could all sign up to: compassion, empathy, dignity, approachability, respect and support.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-10347, in the name of Humza Yousaf, on asylum seekers and refugees: the need to create a more humane syst...
The Minister for External Affairs and International Development (Humza Yousaf)
SNP
Last night, I had the enormous pleasure of speaking at the launch of refugee week Scotland 2014 at the stunning venue of the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow. Refu...
Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to take part in today’s debate, and I want to say at the outset that I am proud of the UK’s long and distinguished record of offering asylum and...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
Jamie McGrigor mentioned that he is pleased that the coalition Government took that step of not detaining children in Dungavel. What is his reaction when chi...
Jamie McGrigor
Con
If that is really the case, I will have to come back to the minister at another time with an answer to that. All I know is that what I said is true. Dawn ra...
Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD)
LD
I, too, welcome the debate, which is fitting in refugee week. I have no doubt that, across the chamber, we want to see the asylum system constantly improvi...
Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP)
SNP
I interject not on the subject of independence but on the responsibilities that the Scottish Government currently has. Housing would be a core responsibility...
Alison McInnes
LD
I despair of the constant negativity from the SNP, which is always looking at what we cannot do instead of at what we can do. There is plenty of scope to imp...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
I ask Alison McInnes the same question that I asked Jamie McGrigor. Does she have an opinion on whether Yarl’s Wood—later on, I plan to read a testimony that...
Alison McInnes
LD
Wherever they come from, children ought not to be detained unless as a very last resort. We have seen a significant change in the whole procedure, and it is ...
Graeme Pearson (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
In his opening speech, the minister alluded to the terror, the tragedy and the fear that are faced by many people who cross the globe to seek asylum in a for...
Dennis Robertson (Aberdeenshire West) (SNP)
SNP
Does the member believe that the media have an important role to play in putting across factual information rather than the misinformation that, in some area...
Graeme Pearson
Lab
I am grateful to Dennis Robertson for that intervention. I acknowledge the part that the media can play, but that only strengthens my argument that the Gover...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
We move to the open debate; speeches should be of five minutes or thereabouts, please. 15:52
Christina McKelvie (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP)
SNP
It is not often that we take part in a debate that has the words “asylum seekers and refugees” and “humane system” in the same sentence. I want to focus on t...
Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
SNP
I, too, welcome refugee week Scotland and the events that are taking place across Scotland to mark it. I congratulate all at the Scottish Refugee Council on ...
Alison McInnes
LD
Will the member take an intervention?
Sandra White
SNP
I will finish my point and then take an intervention. Many groups and individuals have fought for many years to end that practice, but it has not ended.
Alison McInnes
LD
I back the member’s remarks on the “go home” vans, but not her suggestion that they were anything to do with the Liberal Democrats. She knows that the scheme...
Sandra White
SNP
I thank Alison McInnes, but she knows what they say, and if you get into bed with someone, you have to take the consequences. Her Liberal Democrat colleagues...
Margaret McCulloch (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
The debate about this country’s relationship with refugees and asylum seekers is too often distorted, too unfair and misleading, and many of the most common...
Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP)
SNP
I am delighted to follow an excellent speech from Margaret McCulloch, in which she mentioned some of the common misconceptions with which I was going to begi...
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I am often asked by some of the many young visitors to the Parliament what I think is the best thing the Parliament has delivered for the people of Scotland....
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
I call Dr Elaine Murray. Members now have up to five minutes. 16:19
Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab)
Lab
Following on from Clare Adamson’s speech, my tangential knowledge of the experience of a refugee relates to Hector Fuentes, who came to the UK in 1976 having...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
I accept Dr Murray’s point about Jack McConnell and his sincerity in trying to change the situation. I have a great amount of respect for Mr McConnell. Howev...
Elaine Murray
Lab
My argument is that we can achieve some of what we are talking about through devolution. I think that that is also Jack McConnell’s argument. As far as I can...
James Dornan (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
SNP
Glasgow, Scotland’s greatest city, is a city built on immigrants. Many folk from Ireland, Italy, the Indian subcontinent, countries across Africa, the rest o...
Dennis Robertson (Aberdeenshire West) (SNP)
SNP
I associate myself with Margaret McCulloch, whose speech stuck to the facts and put in context the problem, which is sometimes overstated—perhaps not in the ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
We move to closing speeches. I remind members who have taken part in the debate that they might wish to return to the chamber. 16:34