Migrants’ Rights Day
The final item of business today is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-04857, in the name of Christina McKelvie, on migrants’ rights day. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Christina McKelvie cannot be with us this evening, for understandable reasons, so I call Sandra White to open the debate on her behalf.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament welcomes the Migrants’ Rights Day celebrations that will take place across the country on 18 December 2012; notes that the date marks the 22nd anniversary of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1990; appreciates the continuing contribution that migrants from around the world make to Scotland, both economically and culturally, and continues to support people seeking sanctuary and solace in Scotland; commends the work of the organisation, Migrants’ Rights Scotland, in its bid to promote the rights of all migrants, regardless of where they are from and acknowledges their commitment to providing support for migrant community organisations (MCOs), and understands that Migrants’ Rights Scotland supports MCOs in representing themselves more effectively in the immigration system by sharing information and building on existing knowledge and campaigns on their behalf for justice across all social policy areas.
17:02
I congratulate Christina McKelvie on securing the debate and I wish her a speedy recovery. I am sure that she would have been fantastic and I hope that I will say much of what she wanted to say.
It is an honour to lead a debate to celebrate migrants’ rights day and to mark the 22nd anniversary of the “International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families”, which was adopted by the United Nations general assembly in 1990.
The United Nations says:
“Throughout human history, migration has been a courageous expression of the individual’s will to overcome adversity and to live a better life.”
As globalisation has increased, the number of people who have the desire and the ability to migrate has also increased. In the past 10 years, the total number of international migrants has increased from an estimated 150 million to 214 million. It is interesting that women account for 49 per cent of migrants worldwide.
After adoption of the convention, a first round of high-level dialogue on international migration and development took place in 2006. Participating member states affirmed a number of key messages. First, they underscored that international migration is a growing phenomenon that can make a positive contribution to development in countries of origin and destination, provided that it is supported by the right policies. Secondly, they emphasised that respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of all migrants is essential if we are to reap the benefits of international migration. Thirdly, they recognised the importance of strengthening international co-operation on international migration bilaterally, regionally and globally.
The next round of high-level dialogue will take place next year and will give member states and their partners a chance to discuss practical measures to facilitate labour mobility, to foster sustainable development and to protect the rights of migrants, especially women and girls.
As the secretary general of the UN said in his address to mark this year’s migrants’ rights day:
“Attention to the rights of migrants is especially important at this time of global economic and financial distress. As budgets tighten, we are seeing austerity measures that discriminate against migrant workers, xenophobic rhetoric that encourages violence against irregular migrants, and proposed immigration laws that allow the police to profile migrants with impunity. During economic downturns, it is worth remembering that whole sectors of the economy depend on migrant workers and migrant entrepreneurs to help to create jobs.
When migration policies are developed without attention to vulnerability, marginalization and discrimination, millions of migrants become cheap, disposable labour, the scapegoats for failed economic and social policies, and even casualties in an ill-defined war against ‘illegal migration’.”
It is a sad fact that in such difficult times, attitudes to migration harden. We must ensure that here in Scotland we continue to welcome migrants, who make a positive contribution to our society. It is perhaps timely, therefore, that only yesterday it was reported that Scotland’s population has hit a record high of nearly 5.3 million people after a surge in inward migration and increased life expectancy.
As the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs has said, those figures represent a
“historic moment for our country ... A decade and more of devolution has delivered a growing and record high population. That is not simply a sign of the dynamic, attractive nation we are building. It is also a key factor in delivering economic growth in future years.”
Everyone in the chamber will have among their constituents many first-class migrant workers—people who came here not just to work within and help to boost our economy, but to help to enrich our country with their cultures and their attitudes. They should be praised for that. Instead, we sometimes see xenophobic comments in certain tabloid newspapers, and some politicians have a very wrong hard-line attitude towards migrant workers. It is important that we have this debate so that people in Scotland and throughout the world can realise the worth of migrant workers.
One organisation that is to be commended for its work in ensuring that migrants are welcome to Scotland and that they are able to become involved in the community is Migrants’ Rights Scotland. After setting up a separate organisation in Scotland in early 2010, it has supported migrants here in Scotland in a number of ways, including through the support of migrant community organisations, or MCOs. Without those volunteers, we would not know what was happening to migrants with regard to certain aspects of their experience, so it is incumbent on us to pay tribute to the workers in Migrants’ Rights Scotland for the hard work that they do to ensure that migrants have a welcome in our country. Also, as I said previously, the culture that migrants bring is greatly welcomed.
MCOs help migrants to share information and expertise while allowing them to become part of their local communities by putting them in touch with local organisations and encouraging them to get involved.
So far, the work that Migrants’ Rights Scotland has done has been hugely successful. However, there is much concern over recent changes to immigration policy by the United Kingdom Government. Those changes will have a detrimental impact on migration and even on migrants who are long-term British citizens. Undoubtedly the minister will be aware of those changes and how they will adversely affect migrants who already live here and those who wish to come here. What discussions has the Scottish Government had with the UK Government with regard to that?
The portfolio of experiences that is currently being compiled by Migrants’ Rights Scotland on migrants’ hopes and fears will be presented to the family migration inquiry at Westminster early in 2013. However, would the minister consider setting up a migrants conference here in Scotland, to hear from migrants who live in Scotland, in the hope that it would inform any future approach by the Scottish Government to the Westminster Government on the issue? I am interested to hear the minister’s response.
I draw members’ attention to the reception that is being held after the debate in committee room 2 to bring together representatives of minority civic society groups, migrants and their families and MSPs to develop a deeper understanding of who counts as a migrant and of the issues that face real people as a result of immigration policy. I believe that the minister will be attending the reception. I ask members who are here, and others, to come along to committee room 2 to hear about the real experiences of the people there.
17:10
I congratulate Christina McKelvie, in her absence, on securing the debate.
Those who know me will know that I do what I can to assist migrants, particularly migrants from eastern Europe, and especially Bulgaria, which is a beautiful country that I have come to know well since 2006, when I first visited it. I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, where I have made a voluntary declaration in that regard.
Every moment, around the world, people leave their countries in search of safer or better lives. Globally, more than 214 million people are on the move. Many flee difficult conditions only to face even greater struggles, including human rights violations, poverty and discrimination, but these migrants have more than fear and uncertainty; they also possess hopes, courage and the resolve to build a better life. With the right support, they can contribute to society's progress. I agree with Sandra White’s call for a migrants conference in Scotland. That is an excellent idea.
Migration is a global issue that is rightly attracting more and more global attention. The United Nations general assembly facilitates high-level dialogue on international migration and development, giving member states and their partners a chance to discuss practical measures to facilitate labour mobility, foster sustainable development and protect the rights of migrants—especially women and girls.
Attention to the rights of migrants is especially important at this time of global economic and financial distress. As budgets tighten, we are seeing austerity measures that discriminate against migrant workers, xenophobic rhetoric that encourages violence against irregular migrants and, in some countries, proposed immigration laws that would allow the police to profile migrants with impunity. During economic downturns, it is worth remembering that whole sectors of the economy depend on migrant workers and that migrant entrepreneurs help to create jobs.
When migration policies are developed without attention to vulnerability, marginalisation and discrimination, millions of migrants become cheap disposable labour, the scapegoats for failed economic and social policies, and even casualties in an ill-defined war against “illegal migration”. As human mobility becomes more complex, and the journeys that are taken by many migrants more perilous, it becomes all the more urgent to forge national policy responses that address migration, based on human rights principles.
In the lead-up to the high-level dialogue, I hope that member states will approach human rights as a central issue in migration governance. At national level, I encourage them to take such measures as decriminalising irregular migration, setting up effective alternatives to immigration detention and ensuring that the functions of public service providers such as nurses or teachers are kept strictly separate from those of the immigration authorities. I also hope that participants will duly consider the issue of migration in the context of the post-2015 global development agenda.
As we mark international migrants’ rights day, I join with others who call on states to ratify and implement all instruments on this issue, and to encourage all people to help to foster a principled, practical and creative discussion on how we can ensure the protection of migrants across the world, wherever they are and whatever their status.
Over our history we have seen how, for example, Polish people fled from the terrors of Nazism. Many are still here today because of the friendship and security that they found in Scotland, and they have made a life for themselves.
In Fife, when I chaired the Fife Regional Council equal opportunities committee, there were 29 languages, and we established a community interpreting resource to ensure that appropriate help and support were given to people.
If anything was a defining moment of the Olympics, amidst so many defining moments, it was Mo Farah's victories—and was it not amazing when he was asked by an interviewer, “Wouldn't you rather be running for Somalia?” and he replied, “This is my country, mate.”
17:14
I congratulate my colleague Christina McKelvie on securing the debate and send her my best wishes as she recovers. I also pay tribute to Sandra White, who did a fantastic job in standing in for Christina at such short notice.
I believe that, fundamentally, Scotland is and always has been an open, inclusive and welcoming nation. Migrants from across the world have enriched our land throughout our history. We can see that in our education system—last week we had a debate on Camphill Scotland, which was founded by Austrian migrants—as well as in our language, architecture, food, song, literature, wider cultural output, sport and even our politics, as my colleague Linda Fabiani has pointed out to me. She is of immigrant stock, and I am sure that everyone would agree that she has greatly enriched the politics of Scotland in her time.
The important point to mention is that “immigration” is not a dirty word. Far too often, politicians and commentators use the terms “migrant” and “immigrant” in a pejorative way, looking to cast a negative association with them. That is extremely dangerous rhetoric.
Helen Eadie was right to talk about times of economic difficulty. When we enter such times, there is often a tendency to look for a scapegoat—for a section of society that can be marginalised and blamed for the difficulties that ordinary indigenous workers are facing. Often, it is migrant communities that are targeted as the people who are taking jobs away from the indigenous workforce. We must be vigilant against that tendency and we must reject those sentiments, whether they are explicit or implicit. Some politicians will make such statements in a more explicit fashion than others, but the sentiment still exists, however it is put across.
We should also remember that migration is very much the key to Scotland’s future. We talk a lot about the demographic challenges that Scotland will face in the future when the number of people who require to be supported by the working-age population will put a strain on the taxation base of our nation. That is a simple fact. We have to find a way to increase the working-age population of Scotland, and the only way we can do that is to attract skilled migrant workers who will come to Scotland and make it their home.
The difficulty that we face in trying to do that is that we are living in a situation in which the Westminster Government is taking decisions on immigration that seek to solve a problem that does not exist in Scotland. We need immigration and we need to encourage it. I believe that immigration is fundamentally a good thing in and of itself, even if we take the economics out of the issue. When people come to Scotland from elsewhere in the world, it enriches our land—irrespective of the economic arguments—simply by increasing the diversity of our communities and by helping us to develop new experiences as a people.
I passionately believe that the only way we can continue the cultural enrichment that comes from migration, and which is celebrated through events such as migrants’ rights day, is through Scotland’s having control of its own immigration system. People can say that that is a political point; it is, but I believe that it is the key to the issue, whether on the economic side or the cultural enrichment side. I believe that the UK Government is taking the wrong approach, which is based on the negative perceptions of immigration that I outlined. It would be far better if we had the powers here in Scotland to do things that are in Scotland’s interests when it comes to immigration. I look forward to the day when Scotland has its own immigration policies.
17:18
I thank Christina McKelvie for bringing this important issue to the chamber, and I thank Sandra White for her opening speech. I support the motion.
In my remarks, I want to concentrate on Scotland. Historically, Scotland has been a country of net out-migration, but over the past 45 years that has greatly reduced. Indeed, in every year since 2002, Scotland has experienced net migration gains of at least 19,000 per year. In 2010-11 there was a net migration gain of 27,000, which was the highest since estimates began in 1951.
Some of the most recent and reliable data and information on migrants in Scotland is contained in the Scottish Parliament Equal Opportunities Committee’s fifth report in 2010, which followed its inquiry into migration and trafficking in Scotland.
The committee made the following findings. It said that Scotland has demographic problems, and its report noted that the
“Demographic projection of an ageing population and an increase in the ratio of workers with dependents has led to the view that Scotland will need to attract migrants in order to support the economy.”
The committee was prescient, because we have learned from the 2011 census results that were published yesterday that, for the first time, there are more pensioners than young people in Scotland. That has huge implications for a range of policies, but foremost among them must be that of achieving a sustainable economy. The migrant population’s importance to the economy was—rightly—underlined by the committee’s report in 2010, and it is highlighted by the census data that was published yesterday.
That is why the committee’s other findings are significant. The committee said that there is a lack of reliable data. That must be addressed. We need to know the extent to which the economy depends on the migrant workforce, the skills and experience that are being deployed and the sectors in which they are being used.
The committee pointed out that the public perception of migration in Scotland is negative—some members have referred to that. I think that we all agree that that is utterly unacceptable. People need to be educated about the asset that is our migrant population; our economy would not function fully without them.
The committee observed that there is a lack of awareness about migrants’ entitlements and that migrants lack knowledge and awareness about public services, rights and entitlements. That is also unacceptable. In this day and age, with the benefits of technology, surely we can make a far better fist of providing such basic information—this is not a large country. The committee said:
“it is vital for information to be made available to migrants on their arrival in Scotland so that they know what their legal and civic rights and entitlements are, and to assist them in sourcing help and information so that they can have access to the full range of public services that will assist them and help make their transition to life in Scotland as straightforward as possible.”
I agree with that. How do we make that happen?
In 2009, the Scottish Government commissioned a report into migration in Scotland, which found that
“there is evidence of poor employment practice ... for example breach of regulations on working hours. Migrants have been found to have limited awareness of their employment rights. Many migrants are over-qualified for the low-skilled and low paid work in which they are predominantly employed.”
The findings in that report also highlighted the need for more robust data about Scottish migration.
I would welcome the minister’s comments on the Equal Opportunities Committee’s report and the Scottish Government’s 2009 report, with an emphasis on progress to date. The migrant population is an asset to Scotland and we need to do everything that we can to recognise and support that asset.
17:22
The modern United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Brazil exist as they do today only because of migration, albeit imposed migration that failed to respect indigenous people’s rights adequately. My great-great-grandfather Archibald Stewart left Stirling in 1852 to cross the Atlantic. I now have 400 or so living relatives in North America—more than I have anywhere else in the world, although I have a substantial number of relatives in Australia. There is nothing uncommon about that story, which will be true for many of us.
Modern migration has a rather different character. Much of it comes towards us in response to our economic needs and to migrants’ economic needs. Probably 3,000 to 4,000 people have come to my constituency in recent years, because we need people to fill the vacancies in many of our important industries. Unemployment is less of an issue in my area than it is elsewhere.
In the early stages, some of the problems that are associated with migration were immediately manifest. Single men came, which created social pressures—and opportunities for many of the unattached young ladies in Peterhead, Fraserburgh and other fishing communities.
Now, the pattern has changed. It is important that the immigration system does not create barriers that prevent families from coming. When families and couples come, that is a much more stable form of immigration that helps receiving communities—such as mine and those elsewhere in Scotland—and those who come to live and work with us.
There are some surprising side effects from all that. I once visited a primary 6 class at the Peterhead Central school. There were 14 children in the class, of whom eight were native Doric speakers—as is the case in the north-east of Scotland—and six were native Latvian speakers, because for some reason the Latvians all seem to come to my constituency. Of course, the children had reached an accommodation by teaching one another the other language, so they were all bilingual and spoke a hybrid Latvian/Doric language. The genuine difficulty was that the teacher had been no part of that process and was having substantial difficulty understanding what the kids were talking about. I found that hugely amusing; the children tried to teach me a little of their new Lat-Doric language, but they utterly failed to do so as I am not much of a linguist.
From time to time we will all meet people who make remarks about immigrants. I always respond simply by saying that, if we send everybody home to their point of origin, what would we do with the 40 million Scots whom we would have to take back to Scotland?
Immigration is part of the modern world, and it contributes to many of our areas. In my area 10 years ago, we had one quarter of the number of dentists per head of population that Edinburgh had. Many of my constituents had to travel to countries in Europe for dentistry, as they could not even access private dentistry facilities. Now we have a lot of Polish dentists and a stable dentistry system, so that is one example of the benefits of immigration.
The Poles have been coming in waves of immigration. When I was a boy scout, my patrol leader was Zbignew Klemens Skrodski—members will be able to guess where he came from.
I am delighted that Ban Ki-moon has given an excellent statement in support of international migrants’ day. I am also delighted that we are having this debate, and I thank all those who have made it possible.
17:26
I welcome the opportunity to discuss the important contribution that migrants make to Scotland’s unique social and cultural identity. I thank Christina McKelvie for securing time for a debate to celebrate international migrants’ rights day, which is held on 18 December annually. I wish her a speedy recovery and thank Sandra White for stepping in as cover.
I am confident that the majority of us will have been personally affected in some way by those who have moved from other nations to settle here in Scotland. I know that, in my region of Glasgow, a huge number of individuals have a family history that extends far beyond the boundaries of Scotland or even the UK, and they are proud of their truly international roots.
Historically, Glasgow has been home to many Irish immigrants, who sought refuge in times of hardship at home and have regarded Glasgow, along with many other parts of our nation, as their home ever since. Today we can draw parallels between Irish immigration in previous generations and the more recent arrival of those from eastern Europe, from nations such as Poland, who have already made a profound and lasting impact on Scottish culture and identity.
Scottish people are no strangers to welcoming those from other parts of the world to our country. Our historical experiences of the benefit that that brings to our communities has, I believe, made us a far more open and inclusive society.
I celebrate the valuable role of immigration in Scotland by attending the West of Scotland Regional Equality Council—known as WSREC—and supporting local groups to challenge discrimination and stigma in their communities. Alongside my colleague Hanzala Malik MSP, I am fortunate to be involved as a board member of WSREC and take part in grass-roots campaigns to end racial segregation and promote diversity, particularly with young people across Glasgow and the west of Scotland.
My work with the cross-party group on Poland has enabled me to take part in crucial work to build links between ethnic groups and to understand better the type of issues that immigrants who live and work in Scotland may face. Members of the cross-party group have invited professionals from a range of sectors to contribute to discussions on racial integration, and, through those discussions, we are able to co-ordinate cultural events and opportunities that break down barriers in communities. The cross-party group is currently planning some key partnership working with outside agencies and groups such as WSREC, and intends to further integrate support and advocacy services for Polish people living in Scotland.
Migrants’ rights day is about celebrating the invaluable contribution that those from other nations make to the countries in which they settle. It also presents an important platform from which to tackle issues of racism and discrimination in our communities.
Although I believe that Scotland is an open and tolerant society in which differences are celebrated and enjoyed, I also acknowledge that there remains an uncomfortable level of prejudice and misconception around immigration that must be tackled. Through community activism and engagement, we can continue to make significant progress in the campaign against racial and ethnic discrimination, and we can illustrate to the generation of tomorrow the profound importance of immigration and the cultural diversity that it brings to the whole of Scottish society.
17:31
I thank Christina McKelvie for proposing the motion on international migrants’ rights day and, like the other members, I wish her a speedy recovery.
I thank Sandra White for stepping in at the last minute and all the MSPs who spoke for their thoughtful contributions to an interesting debate. I thank Migrants’ Rights Scotland for raising the issue consistently. Yesterday it was tweeting about the debate early doors and it was rightly excited in its anticipation.
Today we are drawing attention to the rights of migrant workers and their families and raising awareness of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1990. It is right that we should recognise this day, and I want to be clear that the fundamental rights of migrants and their families are incredibly important, not only to migrants themselves but to us all in Parliament. Marginalisation and exclusion from participation in society, and the denial of basic human rights to a family, can only have negative results. Helen Eadie made that point very well in her contribution.
If we put in place the right policies that reflect our country’s values and aspirations, and which are welcoming, fair, forward-looking and progressive, immigration can be a tremendously positive force as opposed to the somewhat negative, dirty word that it has become. Mark McDonald and others made that point very well during their contributions. Immigration can inject vibrancy and new ideas into our economy and culture, and it can encourage those who have come here to live and work to play a full and productive part in the society in which we all live.
Mark McDonald also made the point that immigration is about more than giving us an economic boost, important though that is. We gain so much culturally from immigration.
I am from Glasgow and many members here are from Edinburgh. Both cities have melas, which show the great fusion of the different cultures. We also have the cuisine. I have often commented that Scotland’s favourite dishes are chicken tikka masala and spaghetti bolognese, which come from two of the biggest immigrant communities that have come to Scotland during recent decades.
I am proud to be the son of immigrants to Scotland. My father was an economic migrant from Pakistan and my mother’s family had to flee Kenya after the uprising that made life very difficult for Asians in that part of the world. I am therefore very aware of the difficulties that migrant families can face, as well as the real opportunities that draw hard-working people to Scotland to live and work.
Migrants’ Rights Scotland plays an important part in ensuring that people know their rights by supporting migrant community organisations to work effectively and to support people whose lives are fundamentally affected when their rights are abused or ignored.
Some members of Migrants’ Rights Scotland are in the public gallery, including its director, Pat Elsmie. She has been a vocal champion for migrants’ rights for years and—if she does not mind me saying this—although she is somewhat petite in stature, she does not pack a small punch at all when it comes to this issue. She often says what needs to be said, even if it is controversial.
I look forward to going to the reception later on and speaking at it. I commend Migrants’ Rights Scotland for the work that it does.
Sandra White made some really important points about the demographics of our population. Annabel Goldie reflected those points. At 5,295,000, our population is now the highest ever recorded. It has increased partly because there were more births than deaths but mainly because more people moved to Scotland than left.
Those statistics not only represent the fastest growth rate between two census years over the past century but demonstrate that hard work to grow Scotland’s population to support economic growth is paying off. However, Scotland still faces many challenges. In common with almost every mature economy, we have an ageing population, as other members mentioned. We have a large, established migrant community, and we welcome the contribution that new Scots make to our economy and society.
Our universities and colleges also benefit greatly from the thousands of foreign students who come here to study every year. Many of them will want to stay on and work in skilled professions when they graduate; some will have met their life partners here and want to get married; many more will return to their original countries with an impression of Scotland that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. I want that impression to be one of a forward-thinking country that is open to new ideas, is open to technology and embraces new people for the contributions that they can make to many aspects of society.
As members all know, immigration is reserved to Westminster and dealt with by the Home Office. The Scottish ministers want an immigration policy that reflects our Scottish values of openness, equality and fairness, which are at the core of the Government’s vision.
Sandra White asked what discussions we have with the UK Government. We have frequent discussions with it and I am happy to ensure that she is written to so that she can be updated on the latest of them. However, it must be said that we have incredibly little flexibility.
Annabel Goldie’s speech was good, but it had a glaring omission on UK policy. That was unfortunate, because UK policy does not take Scotland’s economic or social needs into consideration. It offers no flexibility or ability to reflect regional variation, such as in salaries, despite the Scottish Government’s pressing for those flexibilities. Regardless of where members sit on the constitutional debate, there has to be an understanding that Scotland needs flexibility.
This is not the occasion to go into the pros and cons of immigration reforms. I am genuinely interested in what the minister says about engagement. It seems to me that we lack specific, compelling data about where our migrant population works and what skills and experience it brings to the economy. A forceful argument on that could be made to the UK Government and I would support the minister in making it.
Annabel Goldie will know that the Government is nothing if it is not forceful when it comes to dealing with Westminster. However, she raises a serious issue and I accept that more data could be collected to show the impacts that migrants make, where they make them and where they could make them better. She should be aware that immigration is one of the few issues that have united the Institute of Directors, the Scottish Trades Union Congress and the Scottish Refugee Council, which all believe that there should be some degree of flexible variation.
If the Scottish Government has not already raised family visas with the UK Government, will the minister undertake to do so the next time that he discusses the issues with it? A number of members in different parts of Scotland have serious concerns in that regard. Those concerns are also concentrated in particular areas of work. The minister mentioned university students; a large number of people in academia would like to bring their partners or family members into the UK and now find that the UK Government’s changes have almost entirely blocked that, which is very much to that Government’s discredit.
I would be grateful if you could begin to come to a conclusion, minister.
I will. Time has escaped me.
I take Drew Smith’s point. I would be happy to raise it with the UK Government at our next discussions as it is an important point to make. Immigration policy should reflect the importance of family life to migrants’ stability and their integration into our society. Stewart Stevenson made that point as well.
Recent changes to the rules on family migration are designed severely to restrict the number of people who can qualify to join their family in the UK, which puts people in a terrible, if not impossible, position. Like Mark McDonald, that brings me to the political point—although we are politicians so I suppose it should not be unexpected that we make such points. For me, that situation is why we need control over immigration, whether that be through independence or through the other means that some members may propose. However, such powers are not an end in themselves but a means to achieve our vision of a fair and inclusive nation that values the contribution that migrants can make and that gives them and their families the basic human right to family life, which Drew Smith alluded to.
I believe that independence will give Scotland the opportunity to make different decisions, to implement policies that are designed for our own needs, to speak with our own voice, to raise our own resources and to take responsibility for our own future. That future is currently up for debate and, by engaging with those who will be affected by our policies, we hope to develop new policies that are relevant, informed by evidence and true to our principles. To answer Sandra White’s final point, which Helen Eadie also made, I would be happy to explore whether that should be done through a conference or some other means.
In conclusion, we want to send the clear message to the world that Scotland welcomes hard-working people and their families who want to live and work here. With one voice, this Parliament should send out the message that we are very much open for business.
Meeting closed at 17:41.