Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 19 December 2023
19 Dec 2023 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Ukrainians in Scotland
In February 2022, when Vladimir Putin launched his brutal, all-out invasion of Ukraine, which was the worst escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian war since it began, in 2014, Scotland rightly stood in solidarity with the Ukrainian people. Scots opened their doors in droves and welcomed displaced Ukrainians into their own homes. It is a testament to the generosity and warmth of Scots that, as of October this year, 25,701 displaced people had arrived in the UK with a Scottish sponsor.
Many Ukrainian refugees were housed on ferries or cruise ships such as the MS Ambition, which was berthed at the King George V dock in Glasgow, or in hotel rooms up and down the country. As the war continues and emergency measures shift to longer-term thinking about how we supply safe and appropriate accommodation, it is right that we think about how we best settle and integrate Ukrainians in Scotland, keeping a keen eye on reducing homelessness, because Ukrainians are “four times more likely” than the rest of the population to find themselves homeless.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-11696, in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville, on from a warm Scots welcome to a warm Scots future for Uk...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville)
SNP
I am pleased to speak once again on support for Ukraine and the delivery of a warm Scots future for its people here in Scotland. As 2023 draws to a close, it...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I gently remind those members who intend to speak in the debate but have not yet pressed their request-to-speak buttons to do so now, or as soon as possible....
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I welcome this debate and the opportunity, which the cabinet secretary mentioned, for Parliament to reaffirm in the strongest possible terms our solidarity w...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I call Paul O’Kane to speak to and move amendment S6M-11696.1. You have around five minutes, Mr O’Kane. 16:44
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
It has been 663 days since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, and it has been 3,589 days since Ukraine’s sovereignty was first violated ...
Keith Brown (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP)
SNP
In the interests of a more rounded debate, will the member acknowledge that some of the issues with housing came about because the UK took so long to open it...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You may have the time back.
Paul O’Kane
Lab
I am grateful, Presiding Officer. I would not deny much of what Mr Brown has said about the challenges that there have been with UK support and ensuring tha...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
I declare an interest, having been a sponsor or host under the homes for Ukraine scheme for nine months and also having been placed under official sanction b...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
We now move to the open debate. 16:56
Keith Brown (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP)
SNP
It is two years since the invasion began, and much of the talk about the invasion in the media now, particularly in the light of other world events, is about...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
The time that we had in hand has pretty much been exhausted, so I would be grateful if members could stick to their speaking time allocations. 17:01
Sharon Dowey (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
Christmas is the perfect time to have this debate, because it reminds us how much Ukrainian people’s lives have been upturned by Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukra...
Clare Adamson (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)
SNP
I declare an interest as a member of the cross-party group on Ukraine. I welcome the comments about Colin Beattie setting that up in the Parliament. I am als...
Paul Sweeney (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
In February 2022, when Vladimir Putin launched his brutal, all-out invasion of Ukraine, which was the worst escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian war since it be...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
In a desperate attempt to be consensual, I note that the quote about “four times” is actually a UK figure and is not really replicated in Scotland. I am not ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I can give you some of that time back, Mr Sweeney.
Paul Sweeney
Lab
As my colleague Paul O’Kane intimated, we rely on the briefing by the Red Cross for that information. If the cabinet secretary were to furnish us with equiva...
Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
SNP
Will Paul Sweeney take an intervention on that point?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
The member cannot give way. He is beginning to wind up.
Paul Sweeney
Lab
I am afraid that I do not have time to address that point in detail with Bob Doris, but that is a fine example of the haphazard approach to planning. Althoug...
Ben Macpherson (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP)
SNP
The war in Ukraine continues to shock, upset and worry us. We continue to feel and share great admiration for the people of Ukraine as they continue to fight...
Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green)
Green
Just a week ago, we were here discussing the human rights of asylum seekers in Scotland. Many colleagues highlighted the important contribution that asylum s...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You need to conclude.
Maggie Chapman
Green
—and are equally able to contribute to Scotland’s future.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Again, I encourage members to stick to their allocated speaking time. 17:23
Marie McNair (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased to speak in the debate in support of the Scottish Government’s strategy to help Ukrainians living in Scotland to settle in communities and gain ...
Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
SNP
Sadly, in recent years, we have witnessed numerous international crises that have displaced millions globally, including the situation in Afghanistan, the on...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
We move to the closing speeches. 17:31