Chamber and committees

You have indicated why you feel that the measures are needed. In the longer term, would there be some benefit for the creeling industry if the measures that you propose are implemented?

Likewise, I think that the issues in the petition were given a good hearing today and that we can give a more comprehensive hearing to the wider issues in the committee’s later work. That makes the case for closing the petition.

You have touched on some of this already, but what would be the implications for Marine Scotland and other bodies of enforcing the solution that you would like to see?

Thank you. As you said, convener, others have covered that area, so I will come in on other subjects later on.

My question is also about housing. Mr Sharp mentioned the housing crisis, and there are certainly pressures there. I realise that planning decisions do not immediately deal with the here and now, but I am keen to hear from any of you how addressing housing problems for displaced people fits into your planning policy or approach.

You will be aware that swathes of suburban Scotland have large private developers building houses that are beyond the reach of anyone who lives within 50 miles of them or has not sold a house in a large city somewhere else. What is being done to factor the needs of displaced people into planning decisions that are made around such issues?

Thank you, convener—it has mostly been covered, but I have one question for the witnesses.

You mentioned the background and home checks that local authorities are doing. How varied is the situation in different local authority areas across the country? Anecdotally, we have heard that some local authorities, possibly for good reasons, have taken some time to do that work. I appreciate that they are not doing it on their own, as they have to co-operate with other agencies.

You ask very important and difficult questions, consul, but it is good that we hear them and that you are so clear and honest about them.

Some of the issues that you have raised are for local authorities, from whom we will hear soon. However, I think that, on some of the other issues—if the convener would be willing to allow this—the committee should hear from the UK Government or a UK Government agency at some point. For instance, consul, you mentioned the recognition of qualifications, which, as I understand it, is one of the very few areas of education in Scotland for which the UK Government has responsibility, so I think that there are other people from whom we should hear in the future, with the convener’s permission.

The issue that I am most interested in is that of displaced families who are trying to get a house and who find that, although they have money for rent, they do not have the right paperwork and need someone to act as a guarantor. You suggested that a local authority might do that. Can you say more about that? How do people get trapped in that situation?

You have answered my question. My next question is, what are the best opportunities for intervening to provide that information so that people are not left without it?

Thank you, consul.

We have rightly focused on the issues that you raise about the services and opportunities that are here for displaced people from Ukraine, but it is also important that we continually remind people in Scotland why people are displaced and why people are here, so that people in Scotland understand that. Therefore, I will give you the opportunity to talk about what is happening in Ukraine now, so that people understand the situation and so that we do not allow this to leave our news screens or miss an opportunity to explain to people what is going on. Are you able to give us an update on the position in Ukraine?