Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-10457

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 22 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many beds it currently has procured for temporary accommodation for each mode of accommodation, including cruise ship and hotel.

Question reference: S6W-10455

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 22 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how long the current cruise ship being used to house Ukrainian refugees in Leith has been procured for, and at what cost.

The contract notice with Corporate Travel Management (North) Ltd, was published on 9 August 2022. The contract is to source and provide travel-related services for displaced people from Ukraine including accommodation in hotels and on the M/S Victoria I and M/S Ambition.

The full contract has a value of up to £100 million with a start date of 8 July 2022 and an end date of 12 December 2024. Both the M/S Victoria and the M/S Ambition have been initially chartered for a period of 6 months.

Question reference: S6W-10460

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 22 August 2022
Current Status: Holding Answer by Maree Todd on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-10087 and S6W-10089 by Maree Todd on 16 August 2022, whether it will provide the dates of when the meetings that discussed these issues took place.

Question reference: S6W-10232

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any additional funding has been provided to local authorities since 2021 to help them support Afghan refugees and, if this is the case, how much funding has been (a) provided and (b) spent to date.

Under current constitutional arrangements in the United Kingdom immigration, including the Afghan resettlement schemes, is fully reserved to the UK Government and is dealt with by the Home Office.

Funding to local authorities to help them support Afghan refugees is provided by the UK Government, and instructions for this funding are published online: Afghan relocation and assistance: funding instruction - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Question reference: S6W-10230

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many Afghan refugees have arrived in Scotland since 2021, and, of those, how many are currently in (i) permanent and (b) temporary accommodation.

Under current constitutional arrangements in the United Kingdom immigration, including the Afghan resettlement schemes, are reserved to the UK Government and handled by the Home Office.

The UK Government has published statistics on the number of people who have arrived in the UK under the Afghan resettlement schemes since 2021, and have committed to providing more detailed data in their quarterly immigration statistics. Afghan Resettlement Programme: operational data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The latest published data (25 August) shows that across the UK 9,667 people are in temporary accommodation and 7,385 people are in settled accommodation. This does not include people who have made their own accommodation arrangements.

Question reference: S6W-10453

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 22 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government which agencies are responsible for monitoring and inspecting the welfare of people onboard the cruise ship being used to house Ukrainian refugees in Leith.

The Scottish Government’s priority continues to be ensuring the wellbeing and safety of displaced people from Ukraine. There are extensive procedures in place to ensure the welfare of those temporarily accommodated on the MS Victoria in Leith.

City of Edinburgh Council’s resettlement teams have an ongoing and visible presence on-board the ship, alongside teams from the third sector. Regular drop in clinics and appointment bookings are available daily for all on-board guests held by various partners. Nominated public protection officers on board provide support and are the first point of contact for safeguarding issues arising when local authority professionals are not available.

Weekly meetings are held for all stakeholders and daily meetings are held between Council staff and other agencies on board to address and monitor any concerns arising. Joint Assurance Review (JAR) meetings are held monthly. Additionally, there are regular liaison meetings above and beyond what is in place for those in other temporary accommodation arrangements. Collaboration and open communication lines between the Scottish Government, the City of Edinburgh Council and third sector parties ensures high standards of welfare and care are maintained.

Question reference: S6W-10456

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 22 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what targets it has set to move Ukrainian refugees being housed on the cruise ship in Leith to matched homes.

The Scottish Government is clear that we do not want to see people spending more time in temporary accommodation than is absolutely necessary, including the passenger ships.

Our priority is to ensure that people who have already arrived, or will arrive, from Ukraine, are able to stay in appropriate temporary accommodation and get the right support, then move into safe, sustainable longer term accommodation, rather than focusing on targets that do not take into account the welfare and needs of displaced people. We are working closely with local authorities and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on this work.

Matching is by its nature an intensive process with multiple, often highly sensitive conversations required with both the displaced person and a potential host, with housing and support needs and preferences requiring assessment to ensure guests can secure accommodation suitable for their needs.

Additionally, the Scottish Government has committed £11.2 million to increase capacity of resettlement teams, support refurbishment of properties, help integration and enhance the pace of checks.

Question reference: S6W-10345

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of those in Scotland who signed up for the Homes for Ukraine scheme are waiting for guests to move in.

Under current arrangements, applications to sponsor or host under the Homes for Ukraine scheme are made to the UK Government, and processed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Home Office.

The UK Government published data relating to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, but has not published data on numbers of available hosts or sponsors. Published data is available at: Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) and Ukraine Extension Scheme visa data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Scottish Government will be releasing data on matching progress for super sponsor visa holders in the coming weeks.

Question reference: S6W-10344

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of those in Scotland who signed up for the Homes for Ukraine scheme have changed their mind and decided to withdraw from the scheme.

Under current arrangements, applications to sponsor or host under the Homes for Ukraine scheme are made to the UK Government, and processed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Home Office.

The UK Government regularly publish data relating to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, but has not published data on host or sponsor applications or withdrawals. Published data is available at: Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) and Ukraine Extension Scheme visa data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) .

Question reference: S6W-10195

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any Scottish Ministers have ever had meetings with Uber and, if this is the case, what the purpose of any such meetings was, whether any notes were taken at the meetings, and, if this is the case, whether it will place copies of any such notes in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

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