Chamber and committees

Pam Gosal wants to ask a short supplementary question. I am watching the time. I ask folk to keep their questions and answers focused. I am sure that other areas will be covered.

I will bring in Rachael Hamilton—your line of questioning might work here.

I thank all our panellists for their very powerful contributions. You have given us lots of food for thought at a very topical time with regard to asylum seeker and refugee status. Of course, there is also this afternoon’s debate in the chamber, and I encourage everyone to tune in and watch that. You might even hear some of your contributions being amplified in that arena. Once again, I thank you all.

That concludes our formal business this morning. I thank everyone for their support at my first meeting as convener.

Agenda item 3 is an evidence-taking session with a panel of stakeholders, whom we will hear from shortly. We are joined by Philip Arnold, head of refugee support for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, British Red Cross; Annika Joy, programme director, Simon Community Scotland; Graham O’Neill, policy manager, Scottish Refugee Council; and Andy Sirel—I hope that I have pronounced that correctly—legal director and partner, JustRight Scotland. You are all very welcome. I also refer members to papers 1 and 2.

I invite our witnesses to make some short opening remarks of perhaps a couple of minutes each. As members will wish to ask lots of questions so that we can get to the heart of the matter and carry out some deep scrutiny, brevity in any opening remarks would be appreciated.

I will start with Phil Arnold, please.

Thank you. It was worth a try.

I am mindful of the time. We have a lot of areas to cover. What you are saying is really important, but I want to bring in my colleagues, who have questions. Are you finished, Fulton?

I am trying to get to whether it is a resourcing issue or an ideological one. The Home Office and the UK Government would say that they are investing billions of pounds in dealing with the issue, so I find it difficult to reconcile that with how the system has such a blockage and backlog. What you are saying is shocking, so I am trying to get to the heart of it. What is going on? What is the underlying issue?

In that case, we will go back to Pam Gosal.

Yes. I am just looking at the time. Officially, we have 15 minutes left. I again plead for succinct answers. That would be extremely helpful. I am not looking at anyone in particular, Mr O’Neill. [Laughter.] That is not to in any way undermine the valuable contribution that you are making, by the way.

After a small question from Pam Gosal, we will move on to Pam Duncan-Glancy.

I will bring in Rachael Hamilton, on the new Scots strategy.