Hansard

The Convener (Clare Adamson) SNP

Good morning and welcome to the 31st and final meeting of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee in 2023. I apologise for the sligh...

The Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees (Emma Roddick) SNP

I am glad to attend the committee for the first time in my role as Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees. I am aware that the committee has taken a...

The Convener SNP

As Motherwell and Wishaw constituency MSP, I know that we have been lucky to have North Lanarkshire Council engage with the fund for social landlords. There ...

Emma Roddick SNP

We have certainly been engaging with local authorities and social landlords to encourage the use of the fund and to encourage authorities to consider where s...

The Convener SNP

Thank you, minister. I now move to questions from the committee. Mr Brown will go first.

Keith Brown (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) SNP

We have been given a really good briefing from the Scottish Parliament information centre, which includes details on the number of people who left the two sh...

Emma Roddick SNP

The other one is the Victoria. That shows the success of having that support service on board. Residents had the space and time to explore all their options ...

Kirstin McPhee (Scottish Government)

We can certainly look into that. The issue with the homes for Ukraine scheme is that, if people do not come on a supersponsor visa, they might go straight to...

Keith Brown SNP

On a personal note, I hosted a Ukrainian family for six months and was able to get them both permanent accommodation and a job—in fact, two jobs. We have sta...

Emma Roddick SNP

Labour’s position is not something that I can speak to, but we are certainly keeping an eye on the possibility of a change in Government. For my part, I am w...

Keith Brown SNP

It was not the ideal way for people to come, but it was necessary at the time and, like the convener, I have to say that Clackmannanshire Council did a super...

Emma Roddick SNP

I will bring in Kirstin McPhee on planning for Gaza, because I know that things are moving very quickly there. Although we are very focused on the immediate ...

Kirstin McPhee

I can add to that. Members will be aware that hosting is the sort of bedrock of the UK approach to the homes for Ukraine policy. We have taken a different ap...

Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

I want to ask about the supersponsor scheme, which has been paused since July 2022, which is almost a year and a half ago. Plainly, visas that have been issu...

Emma Roddick SNP

We are very alive to the fact that things can change. We have been reviewing the supersponsor scheme pause regularly—previously at three-month intervals and ...

Donald Cameron Con

So the scheme is still live, as it were.

Emma Roddick SNP

Yes.

Donald Cameron Con

Was there any evidence that the pause in some way disincentivised people from coming? Are you content to say that the pause made no difference?

Emma Roddick SNP

It is not something that I am aware of. It is near impossible to get information about the reasons why those who were issued visas did not then come to Scotl...

Kirstin McPhee

We could say that the number of arrivals has steadily slowed. As the minister says, we cannot account for why that might be the case, but it has meant that w...

Fraser Dick (Scottish Government)

I can give some context to that fact. We should note that approximately 13,000 visas were issued to people who have not yet travelled to the UK and, as Mr Ca...

Donald Cameron Con

That is really helpful. I turn to the issue of accommodation and rent guarantees. A while ago now, we had evidence from the Ukrainian consul that he was in f...

Emma Roddick SNP

I am aware that more than half of local authorities now operate some form of scheme, and we looked into the feasibility of something wider. I do not have the...

Kirstin McPhee

The difficulty of accessing the private rented sector is, unfortunately, not unique to Scotland. We have on-going conversations with the other nations about ...

Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green

I am aware that there are about 3,000 people who are still in their welcome accommodation and that councils are working very hard to offer people two options...

Emma Roddick SNP

That is a really good question, which helpfully recognises the nuance. There is a tendency for some people to view Ukrainians as a homogeneous group, but the...

Mark Ruskell Green

In that instance, Stirling Council has done great work in a complex and sensitive situation. Is it your impression that councils are able to support people r...

Emma Roddick SNP

There are certainly difficulties, but I would point more to the successes in councils. Edinburgh has certainly been one where the wraparound support has been...

Alexander Stewart Con

You have spoken about success and there is no question that there have been successes. What is the working relationship between the Government, the Scottish ...

Emma Roddick SNP

I recognise that everyone is under pressure and that there are many competing priorities, but I am still very proud of the work that we have done in partners...