Hansard

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate, and I am also grateful for the tone that has been fostered by those on all sides of the chamber thus far. My remarks begin in large part where Michael Marra’s began: I, too, am a product of immigration. My mother came here in the 1960s to undertake an English degree and never left. Perhaps that is not an advert for immigration on some sides of the chamber, but I am proud of it nonetheless.

All of us, whether we are in this Parliament or in Westminster, have a responsibility to speak up, clearly and confidently, in defence of the many benefits that immigration brings to our society. Too often, our political discourse shrinks from that responsibility and retreats in the face of rising hostility and negative press, instead of standing firm on what we know to be true.

Immigration is a fundamental part of Scotland’s story. It has shaped who we are and it continues to shape who we will become—from Irish immigrants in the 17th century to those from Italy and Poland during the industrial revolution and after the second world war; from those who came to us from India, Pakistan and Uganda in the 1960s and 1970s to those fleeing war in Ukraine today, who have found refuge and such welcome and new beginnings in Scottish homes the length and breadth of our community. Each wave of immigration has enriched our culture. It has strengthened our economy and contributed to a more diverse, dynamic and successful society, bringing new languages, traditions and ideas that are now woven into the fabric of Scotland. It has created jobs, filled vital gaps in our workforce and brought fresh perspectives, drive and innovation.

These are not strangers; they are our neighbours. They are our colleagues, our friends, our lovers and our families. They are us. However, instead of valuing that, the aftermath of years of mismanagement by the previous Government in Westminster has left the UK’s immigration system in tatters. Public trust has been eroded. The issue is the battle line of our political discourse, and that is deeply regrettable.

Brexit only made things worse. When the UK voted by a slim majority to leave the European Union, ties that matter deeply to Scotland and to all of these islands were broken. We lost freedom of movement and, with it, easy access to the people who kept our national health service going, worked in our care homes, picked our crops and powered our businesses.

Only today, I stood outside the Parliament alongside social care workers campaigning for fair pay and conditions. Scotland’s care sector depends hugely on overseas workers. In fact, it relies on them—they are its backbone. Imposing thousands of pounds’ worth of fees will only make the crisis worse and push more providers to the brink. That is why my Liberal Democrat colleagues at Westminster are calling for punitive Home Office visa fees, which were introduced by the previous Government, to be scrapped for care workers and NHS staff. The last thing that we need is more of a barrier to those who seek to come here to work in health and social care. We need a flexible migration system that meets the specific needs of each part of the United Kingdom and works closely with the devolved Administrations. That is the best way to ensure that Scotland’s economy is bolstered with the workforce that it needs.

I am pleased that the UK Labour Government is finally considering a youth mobility scheme with the European Union. My party was the first to call for such a scheme. Young people already have the chance to use similar schemes in many countries across the globe, so there is no reason at all why we should not expand such access to our European neighbours. It will offer amazing opportunities for generations to come.

Let us be clear: the issue is not only about giving people the freedom to travel and experience life across Europe, although that in itself is valuable and powerful. A properly designed youth mobility scheme would be a huge win for our economy. The Centre for European Reform has said that a youth mobility scheme could add nearly 0.5 per cent to our gross domestic product in the longer term, while analysts at the House of Commons library who were commissioned by the Lib Dems suggest that such growth could add roughly £5 billion to the Exchequer each year. That could mean that there would be about £5 billion of additional tax revenue each year in the long run. The 0.45 per cent figure was arrived at in a Centre for European Reform study on the economic impact of a youth mobility scheme between the UK and the EU.

Our hospitality and tourism sectors, our farms, our construction sites and our start-ups all need flexible and energetic workers. Local economies benefit when young people come here to work, to live and to spend. Such a scheme would be a two-way street, as young Scots would be able to access the same opportunities across the continent.