Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-18780, in the name of Craig Hoy, on the impact of accommodating asylum seekers on Scottish local governme...

Craig Hoy (South Scotland) (Con) Con

This is a debate that some members in the Parliament do not want us to have. It is one that is politically heated, and in which those on the liberal left wan...

The Minister for Equalities (Kaukab Stewart) SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Craig Hoy Con

Not at the moment. At the heart of the problem are criminal gangs who bring illegal immigrants into the country in small boats. In the year to June, nearly ...

Kaukab Stewart SNP

Will the member give way?

Craig Hoy Con

I will take an intervention at this point.

Kaukab Stewart SNP

I welcome the measured tone that you started the debate with—language does matter.

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

Through the chair.

Kaukab Stewart SNP

Does the member recognise that, in fact, the previous Conservative Government deliberately put a hold on processing claims to allow people to seek asylum and...

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

I can give Craig Hoy some of the time back.

Craig Hoy Con

I recognise that. I also said at the outset that it would be an uncomfortable debate for parties that had recently been in government. I am not apportioning ...

The First Minister (John Swinney) SNP

Will the member give way?

Craig Hoy Con

I give way to Mr Swinney.

The First Minister SNP

Although Mr Hoy is tacitly acknowledging the failure of the Conservative Government to properly manage the asylum regime over many years in office, he is bri...

Craig Hoy Con

We can always rely on John Swinney to lower the tone. We are coming to the Parliament to reflect the legitimate views of reasonable people in a representativ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

Through the chair, Mr Hoy.

Craig Hoy Con

Mr Swinney is shaking his head, pretending that none of this is to do with him, but it is quite clear that, as Scotland has more liberal homelessness rules t...

Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Craig Hoy Con

No, I will not. I do not have time. By councils’ own admission, the SNP’s approach is crippling. It is forcing them to prioritise the needs of those from el...

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville) SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Craig Hoy Con

I do not have time. That decision was taken by the previous Conservative Government in the eye of the Covid storm. Now, we have to admit that it was the wro...

Stuart McMillan SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Craig Hoy Con

No, I do not have time. It is unfair and wrong that we are still spending millions of pounds every day providing hotels to asylum seekers and illegal immigr...

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

You need to conclude.

Craig Hoy Con

The communities that I speak to want action from their Governments. They understand that Britain should be a place to live, work, flourish, and put down root...

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

You need to conclude, Mr Hoy.

Craig Hoy Con

It is not a debate that any of us relish, but it is one that our constituents, regardless of the party that we represent, want us to have. I move, That th...

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville) SNP

Our words matter in this debate. They matter to the communities that we serve and those who seek our protection. Therefore, my message is clear: we must ensu...

Craig Hoy Con

Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

I am quite happy to take an intervention from Craig Hoy on that point.