Chamber and committees

Convener, can I ask my second question now or do you want me to come back to it?

You have mentioned racism. We need to know the causes. You also mentioned the language barrier, which is not only a barrier to integration and getting about but is a factor in accessing healthcare. It is so important. People come from various backgrounds and religions and we must be very careful not to offend—I fully agree with you—by lifting somebody’s top and so on, so we should be looking at language.

I have mentioned at an earlier committee meeting that we should not be delivering ESOL only through the usual sources but through community sources, including mosques, gurdwaras, synagogues and so on, and other places where people go to study. Is that something that you are in favour of?

I have a quick question. You have raised a lot of things that the Scottish Government can do. I want to talk about access to healthcare.

Back in January, the Scottish Parliament was made aware of a case of a 22-year-old refugee who flew back to a war zone to see a doctor rather than wait for treatment in Scotland on the NHS. Would you agree that more needs to be done by the Scottish Government about access to services, especially health services? Educational services were also mentioned earlier, and you also touched on mental health. What can the Scottish Government do?

Does anyone else want to comment?

Good morning, panel, and thank you so much for your opening statements.

Much of last week’s discussion was on illegal trafficking and exploitation, which have been mentioned today, too. My question is in two parts. First, what role does Police Scotland play alongside the third sector? Secondly, since Police Scotland began 10 years ago, 140 police stations and a lot of community policing have been cut. What impact has that had on reducing community tensions as well as rooting out illegal trafficking and slavery?

Perhaps I can come back to the question. Are you saying that community policing and police services are adequate for what you need at the moment?

Are you saying that there is nothing in place? We have seen what happened in Erskine. Have third sector organisations or organisations such as those that are represented here today put nothing in place because it does not work? Is that what you are saying?

Earlier, mention was made of the third sector not being funded properly. What kind of resources need to be in place and distributed so that the third sector can be ready to deal with asylum seekers coming here and to help with integration and everything else that we have spoken about? What sort of plan or framework should be in place to support the third sector? That question is for Annika Joy, because she spoke about the third sector.

Shall I ask my final question?

Phil, is there anything that you would like to quickly add?