Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)

Meeting date: Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Official Report 981KB pdf

---

Topical Question Time

The next item of business is topical question time. To enable me to get in as many members as possible, I would appreciate short and succinct questions, and responses to match.

---

Ukraine (Refugees)

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to prepare for refugees arriving in Scotland as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (S6T-00553)

Scotland has a long history of welcoming refugees and people who seek asylum, from all over the world. We must all stand ready to offer refuge and sanctuary, where necessary, for people who may be displaced.

Asylum is reserved to the United Kingdom Parliament and is handled by the Home Office. That includes operational decisions about the UK asylum system and refugee resettlement programmes.

The United Kingdom Government has not yet confirmed any arrangements for the resettlement of refugees from Ukraine. However, the Scottish Government is engaged with our key partners, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Scottish Refugee Council, to ensure that we are ready to support any refugees who may arrive in Scotland.

Scenes from over the weekend have been horrific, and I know that all of us in the chamber stand in solidarity with those fleeing their homes as a result of Russian aggression. It is crucial that we ensure that Scotland is a safe, supportive and welcoming place for people who come here, and we need to be ready for that.

We also need to make sure that people get advice and support on their rights, including through helplines run by the third sector. That is particularly important for disabled people. There are 2.7 million disabled people in Ukraine and they face a disproportionate risk of abandonment, death and a lack of access to safety, relief and recovery support. The European Disability Forum has heard that the situation is appalling. Shelters are inaccessible and disabled people are being forced to stay at home, not knowing where they can go to be safe.

It is vital that political leaders across the globe ensure that disabled people are included in the response—we cannot leave them behind. Can the cabinet secretary set out what plans he has put in place to do that, what discussions he has had with COSLA on Scotland’s preparedness for refugees, and what support will be given to the third sector?

The issues at hand have already been subject to discussion in the resilience settings in the Scottish Government, in meetings that we held over the weekend, and they will be discussed in the meeting that we will hold this afternoon. Those meetings include representatives of COSLA. Our conversations with the third sector are on-going.

Pam Duncan-Glancy raises specific issues relating to support for disabled people in Ukraine. We have already been providing material that has been requested by the Ukrainian Government and we will continue to do so. I will look at what has been requested by the Ukrainian authorities, to satisfy myself that what is being asked for and provided will be of assistance to people with disability in Ukraine. I will highlight, in our on-going discussions, the issues that the member raises.

I am happy to write to Pam Duncan-Glancy in detail to answer any of her questions that I was unable to answer in the curtailed time that we have available today.

I know that this Parliament will also stand ready to support Ukrainian children and their families. The children’s commissioners for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have written to the Prime Minister highlighting the need to protect children as far as possible from conflict. It is vital that the 7.5 million children in Ukraine are also factored into the preparedness, which means ensuring that all four nations are ready to provide much-needed safety and hope.

Children in conflict zones have made clear over the past eight years how important it is for them to continue their education. We must do what we can. What steps is the Scottish Government taking to ensure that those fleeing Russian invasion are able to find suitable accommodation—accessible when needed—and proper support services, and that children are able to get the education that they are so desperate not to miss out on?

I will, if I may, highlight something that perhaps gets a little bit missed in this context—people from Ukraine have to get here first. In preparation for that, we have to follow all the steps that are requested, including in this topical question session. At present, though—shamefully, in my view and that of the Scottish Government—the United Kingdom is not offering a visa waiver for people from Ukraine seeking sanctuary. It is possible for countries right across the European Union, including for our neighbours in the Irish Republic, to do so.

The UK is saying that it is prepared to allow people to come here to work if they have family members already resident in the United Kingdom. Apparently, humanitarian pathways are set to be opened if someone is sponsored in the UK. That is not good enough. People need sanctuary and we should be taking them in. We should be making the necessary preparations, as highlighted by Pam Duncan-Glancy. We need to get everything in place for when people arrive. I really hope that the UK Government reconsiders its approach, which, to my mind—and, I am sure, for the majority of people across the chamber—is frankly not good enough.

Skyrora, a rocket launching company with a base in Midlothian, has Ukrainian employees here in Scotland but also has 44 employees in Dnipro in the east of Ukraine. It is asking what contingencies there will be for its employees. The cabinet secretary mentioned sponsorship. Does he consider that corporate sponsorship should be introduced by the UK, which would allow those employees and their families, if they so wish, to come to Scotland to be employed?

Christine Grahame highlights something that should be part of a broad and welcoming package of measures by the United Kingdom Government. The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has been outlining some changes, which may allow companies to play a role in bringing people out of Ukraine. We have to see how that will operate in practice. If that is indeed what it is, it is welcome. However, it is still not enough.

May I also take the opportunity to say to colleagues in the chamber, because this will have impacted on quite a lot of us, that we will have become aware of offers from companies and third sector organisations. I would encourage those companies and third sector organisations to get in touch. We are in a fast-moving situation, and if we are able to co-ordinate those offers, not only can we ensure that we get aid to people in country—in theatre—but we will know whether there are people who may be able to come to the UK. Hopefully, that will be far more than the UK currently has in mind.

I thank the cabinet secretary for his reply. In the main, I agree with what he is saying. We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in resisting brutal aggression.

Does the cabinet secretary agree that it is vital that we show our united support for the people of Ukraine? Does he welcome the role that the United Kingdom is playing in shaping the international response by providing military hardware and developing meaningful financial sanctions? He mentioned co-ordination. What steps will the Scottish Government take to provide co-ordination support for those community-based responses, given that people want to show their support for the people of Ukraine?

There was much in Stephen Kerr’s questions. Again, if there is something that I do not touch on, I will be happy to write to him with more detail.

In general, I think that the United Kingdom response on the economic front and in supporting the Ukrainian armed forces is commendable, as has been the response of countries right across the European Union. Sadly, however, there is much more that the people of Ukraine require from us, whether that is in terms of the economy, military support or the diplomatic response that we all need to be a part of. The Scottish Government is co-ordinating with the UK Government and the other devolved Administrations across the United Kingdom. An example of that is the provision of immediate aid, which is being flown out to Ukraine at some point today. Co-ordination is already taking place.

In looking forward, how do we make sure that we capture all the information? That is exactly the point that I made in an earlier reply. We need to make sure that we are getting all those details. If members across the chamber have examples of such work, I ask them to please get in touch with the Scottish Government to make sure that we are fully sighted on them, and they will be included in the response that we are pulling together with partners in the third sector and further afield.

A freedom of information request last week revealed that 300 Afghani refugees are still languishing in hotels and bridging accommodation. We need to be ready for what is coming. We hope that the UK Government will waive the visa requirement so that more Ukrainians can reach here. We have also witnessed a tremendous outpouring of support from the Scottish people, who are saying, “Open our borders and we will open our homes”.

First, will the cabinet secretary urgently refresh the new Scots strategy, which is due to expire this year? Secondly, will he make sure that funding is available to local authorities to house Ukrainian refugees? Thirdly, will he make it easier for Scottish people who are willing to give their own accommodation to Ukrainian refugees to do so?

I am pleased to agree with everything that Alex Cole-Hamilton has just said. At the heart of his question is an important point. Ukraine is a massive challenge at the present time, but we must not lose sight of what is happening in other parts of the world. There are terrible developments in Afghanistan in particular, but in other countries as well. We must not see the response that we require to get in place for Ukraine displace what we also need to be doing for other parts of the world.

Alex Cole-Hamilton asked a number of questions. We need to be speaking to local authority partners, but I stress to him that, at the present time, Ukrainians who will be able to get here will be people who have family members here, whom they are expected to stay with. The people who he is talking about, and who I and the Scottish Government are concerned about, are all those who do not have contacts or family members here. To be frank, they have every right to be here, just as every other refugee does.

We need to unify our voices, as has been appealed for across the chamber. I appeal to all colleagues: let us please be united in calling for visa restrictions to be waived in order to allow people to come to the United Kingdom. Most will want to stay close to Ukraine, in central Europe, but we should welcome with open arms those who wish to come to the United Kingdom.

---

UK Ports (Sanctions)

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the United Kingdom Government about using the sanctions regime to prevent Russian Government-owned tankers entering ports in the UK, including in Orkney. (S6T-00537)

The unprovoked aggression by the Russian Government against a sovereign, democratic state is wholly unacceptable and we are committed to ensuring that appropriate measures are taken to ensure that any support, however indirect, for Russia’s unjust war is prevented.

The First Minister met the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, on Sunday evening to discuss concerns about the Russian-owned oil tanker the NS Champion, which at that time was heading towards Orkney to pick up a cargo of crude oil at the Flotta terminal. In line with the agreement that all efforts should be made to prevent the tanker from docking, Scottish Government officials have been working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders, including Department for Transport officials and the Joint Maritime Security Centre, to pursue all options.

More generally, we have been working collaboratively with stakeholders to make it clear that vessels that are owned, controlled, chartered or operated by individuals or companies connected to Russia are not welcome in Scottish ports or to undertake business here at this time.

Members will wish to be aware that an amendment to the UK sanctions regime that prohibits the entry into UK ports of vessels connected to Russia and the registration of such vessels in the UK, and which allows for the detention of such vessels that are already here, in certain circumstances, enters into force at 15:00 today. The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with the UK Government to maximise the effectiveness of the regime, to share intelligence and to prevent unacceptable Russian vessels from taking part in business activity here.

I thank the cabinet secretary for his engagement on the issue over the weekend. It was the right thing to do to cancel the contract with Sovcomflot and to prevent the NS Champion from berthing at the Flotta oil terminal in my constituency. It is a victory for the people of Orkney, who have been steadfast in their determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ukraine. Through their defiance, major oil companies have had to act. As a result, money that would have flowed into supporting Putin’s bloodthirsty regime has been prevented from doing so.

The decision to prevent Russian vessels from entering UK ports, which was announced by Grant Shapps yesterday, is in keeping with the spirit of the sanctions regime. Is the cabinet secretary confident that the measures that are being taken in Westminster today will have the effect of converting a request into a legally enforceable ban?

I thank Liam McArthur for his engagement over the weekend and for the intelligence that he provided on the particular vessel. I also record my thanks to the people of Orkney for standing united with the people of Ukraine at this difficult time.

I believe that the regime that is being put in place by the UK Government, which will come into force at 3 pm today, is sufficient to address the issue. There are some challenges with the sector, because some vessels operate under a flag of convenience and have complex ownership structures that can make it challenging to identify connections with Russia and whether those vessels provide some benefits to Russian stakeholders. However, I assure Liam McArthur that I have asked my officials to prioritise their work with the UK Government to ensure that we share intelligence in the area and identify any such vessels at the earliest possible point, so that they are not able to operate in Scottish ports and Scottish waters.

I thank the cabinet secretary for that further response—particularly what he said about the complexity of the sector and ensuring that the ban applies where it needs to apply but does not necessarily impact on other vessels.

Given that harbour authorities will be on the front line in enforcing the new restrictions, will the cabinet secretary confirm that they will be fully consulted on how the measures will operate in practice? What work is being done by the Scottish and UK Governments to assess the impact that the measures will have on the wider oil and gas sector in the UK?

I assure Liam McArthur that there will be communication with Scottish ports and that there has been already—I believe that the UK Government’s transport secretary communicated with them yesterday. There will be on-going engagement with Scottish ports, which will allow for further clarification on any issues, if that is required.

I also assure Liam McArthur that Marine Scotland officials are actively tracking and monitoring all Russian vessels that are exercising the right of innocent passage, under international law, in Scottish waters. That will continue to be the case in the days and weeks ahead.

I recognise that the sanctions will have some economic impact on our ports and harbours. We stand ready to engage with them and to discuss any challenges that they experience as a result of the sanctions that are being enforced.

The international community is right to take strong actions to cut off resources to Vladimir Putin. What is the Government doing to ensure that Scotland plays its part in enforcing formal sanctions and in ceasing trading outwith the sanctions regime? Does he agree that the full range of sanctions that are imposed on Russia should be extended to Belarus, given its despotic president’s backing for the invasion and the fact that Belarus is being used as a launch pad for the assault on Kyiv?

The Scottish Government has made very clear our view that the United Kingdom Government and the international community should impose the severest sanctions possible on Vladimir Putin and other interests in Russia. We stand in complete solidarity with the people of Ukraine. As my colleague Angus Robertson has outlined, we are taking a range of steps, including providing financial support and wider support to the Ukrainian Government and support organisations in dealing with refugees who are now having to leave Ukraine and go to other European countries. We stand ready to play our part in helping to deal with that humanitarian crisis.

If reports of Belarusian troops joining the illegal invasion of Ukraine are correct, it would follow logic that Belarus should be subject to the same severe sanctions as Russia is. The international community must be prepared to take that action if necessary.

As an Orcadian whose home overlooks Scapa Flow and the Flotta oil terminal, I, too, congratulate local people in Orkney on their efforts to ensure that our community’s opposition to the visit was very clear. I also thank the office of the Secretary of State for Scotland, with which I was in contact over the weekend.

The cabinet secretary will be aware of the concerns relating to a Russian-chartered private flight to Moscow, which took off from a Scottish Government-owned Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd airport, with NOTAM—notice to airmen—guidance in place. There appears to be some confusion, and claims and counter-claims from various bodies, over notifications and procedures. Will the cabinet secretary give a commitment to investigate that situation to establish precisely what happened and to ensure that there are no loopholes by which Scottish ports and airports can be used to evade sanctions?

We have already looked into that matter. The member is correct in saying that a notice to airmen order was issued. However, there was a delay in the information being provided by the Civil Aviation Authority to airport operators—it was not provided on Friday. On looking into the matter, I have found that the flight was given clearance by NATS as complying with the sanction regime that was in place at that particular point. Therefore, the proper procedures were followed at that point. However, there is obviously a lack of clarity on some aspects of the sanction regime. We will continue to pursue those matters with the UK Government to ensure that everyone has clarity on the details of how the sanctions should be applied, so that agencies can then enforce them sufficiently.

I understand that there was a Russian tanker in Shetland last week, much to the consternation of the community there. There was also a Russian transporter vessel anchored in Broadbay in Lewis for a number of days. I understand that it has just left this morning. What restrictions can be placed on Russian vessels entering Scottish waters and anchoring if they are not berthing at a harbour?

I recognise the concerns that the member raises, but the member will also recognise that, under international law, there is a right of passage for vessels going through international waters, including Scottish waters. I assure the member that we want to ensure that Russian interests that seek to profit from bringing vessels into Scottish ports and harbours are unable to do so. The new regulations will ensure that that cannot happen from here on in.

---

Scottish National Investment Bank (Recruitment of Chief Executive Officer)

To ask the Scottish Government what measures have been put in place to recruit a new chief executive officer of the Scottish National Investment Bank following the resignation of Eilidh Mactaggart. (S6T-00534)

The Scottish National Investment Bank plans to recruit and appoint a new chief executive, and the process has begun. To ensure continuity in the bank in the interim, the chief finance officer, Sarah Roughead, is taking on additional responsibilities, including accountable officer responsibilities. The bank has experienced board members who continue to provide leadership and direction for staff and bank customers. The bank’s recruitment of a new chief executive will follow the Scottish Government’s guidance on the recruitment and employment of chief executives of public bodies. Ministers agree all executive and non-executive appointments to the bank’s board, including for the chief executive.

I thank the cabinet secretary for that response. Could she advise Parliament as to the exact reasons for Eilidh Mactaggart’s resignation?

I recognise that there is significant interest and that there are questions around the chief executive’s resignation, given the seniority of her role and the importance of the Scottish National Investment Bank to Scotland’s economy. The reasons for the former chief executive’s resignation are a matter for her and for the bank’s board. The board has kept ministers up to date with all matters relating to the chief executive, and the executive team and board members will continue to provide strong leadership and direction for staff and bank clients.

Since the bank’s inception, in November 2020, the cabinet secretary has said in the chamber on several occasions that the Scottish National Investment Bank is a very important financial institution that is critical to future long-term investment in Scotland. As members will know, £200 million has been committed since 2020, and it is projected that £2 billion is to be spent in the next 10 years. Those are significant sums of public money. Does the cabinet secretary accept that there should be full transparency in the operation of the bank and that the public has the right to know the full details of the current situation and the reasons why Ms Mactaggart resigned?

I echo the comments that I made previously, which Liz Smith has just quoted. Since its launch, the bank has made significant progress. It has built up an operational structure, recruited 50 staff and delivered £200 million of investment to 13 projects. It continues to build its investment portfolio, and we expect further announcements on investments over the coming weeks. The bank will continue to support our recovery.

As I said, I know that there is public and political interest in getting answers and ensuring that there is transparency. However, I say once again that matters relating to the former chief executive’s resignation from the bank are very much for the former chief executive and the bank’s board.