Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Official Report 1124KB pdf

Committee Announcement (Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee)

The next item of business is an announcement by the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on its inquiry into the human rights of asylum seekers in Scotland. I call Kaukab Stewart, the convener of the committee, to make the announcement.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to make this announcement on behalf of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. Today the committee published a report on its inquiry into the human rights of asylum seekers in Scotland.

The committee began taking oral evidence on 25 April, at my first meeting as its convener, and we continued throughout May and June.

Paragraphs 65 to 71 of our report set out the witnesses from whom the committee heard. We are extremely grateful to all those who contributed to the inquiry, but I particularly want to thank the asylum seekers and refugees who spoke directly to us in our engagement sessions. It was essential to me that we heard about their lived experience, which was often traumatic, so that the committee clearly understood the significant challenges that they face. I encourage members to read the notes from our engagement sessions, which are published on the committee’s web page. They provide a telling picture of the conditions that refugees and asylum seekers face. We hope that our report gives a voice to those experiences, which informed our conclusions and recommendations.

Sadly, we heard about substandard, inappropriate and inadequate conditions—especially in relation to accommodation—which presented people with an increased risk of being a victim of crime and/or exploitation, as well as an increased risk of physical and mental health issues developing or being exacerbated.

We heard that support in accessing English as a second language classes is inconsistent and that there is a lack of quality interpreters. English language teaching is essential in helping asylum seekers arriving in Scotland to integrate in our communities, so that issue needs to be addressed.

There is a significant reliance on the third sector, as asylum seekers rely on it for clothing and for accessing transportation and education, medical, community, religious and cultural facilities. I know that the convener of the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee has raised the issue of concessionary travel with the First Minister directly. I also note that, later this week, Paul Sweeney will lead a members’ business debate on the issue, which I look forward to contributing to in a personal capacity. On behalf of the committee, I take this opportunity to acknowledge the incredible work of all the third sector organisations that help asylum seekers to find their place in our communities.

Although immigration is a reserved matter, our report challenges the Scottish Government to make full use of its existing powers to support and protect asylum seekers. Among our recommendations, we challenge the Scottish Government to ensure that the third sector can benefit from improved resourcing; to honour its commitment to maintain and enhance the wellbeing of children in local authorities; to maintain and enhance anti-trafficking protections; and to ensure that asylum seekers understand their rights by providing them with accessible education and information.

We look forward to the committee debate, which we hope to secure before the end of the year, and to the Scottish Government’s response to the report in advance of that debate.