I have been contacted by numerous students, parents and staff while the dispute has been on-going. The continued impasse, which has led to further strike action, has caused disruption to students’ educational experience, and it has the potential to do severe damage to the reputation of the college. What additional powers does the minister have to intervene on the matter? Does he agree that now is the time to step in and exercise those powers in any way that he can to help to bring about a resolution?

I am grateful to Paul Sweeney for bringing the debate to the chamber. I also note that a petition on this very issue has been lodged. Clearly, there is public momentum behind the campaign, and I know that the Scottish Government will be listening very carefully.

We know that the financial burden that is associated with bus travel is an obstacle for many asylum seekers. I, too, welcome the pilot schemes and urge the Government to carefully consider the recommendations that arise from them, such as the pilot that is being conducted by the Refugee Survival Trust and First Bus, which is supported by the Grampian Regional Equality Council and the Scottish Refugee Council.

As Paul Sweeney mentioned, earlier this week, in my capacity as convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, I announced the publication of the committee’s report on its inquiry into the lived experience of asylum seekers in Scotland. The committee heard very clearly from witnesses on the issue and has therefore included in its report a strong recommendation for the expansion of the national concessionary travel scheme to include asylum seekers. I hope that that will lend further weight to calls for something that would make a huge difference to their lives.

Understanding that immigration and employment are reserved matters, on three separate occasions, the committee wrote to the UK Government’s Minister for Immigration, Robert Jenrick MP, inviting him to give evidence to us, but no reply was received. That is disrespectful, to say the least. Once again, it falls to the Scottish Government to mitigate the situation. We in the Scottish Parliament can provide action to back up our message of welcome and support for asylum seekers.

What I say will never be as powerful as the words of asylum seekers themselves, so I will use my remaining time to give voice to their words, which have been given to me in a statement by asylum seekers who are working with the Maryhill Integration Network. I read them verbatim:

“We are writing this statement as a collective of people who are currently in the asylum process, in communities and in hotel accommodation across Scotland. Free bus travel will provide us with the opportunity to travel, especially to appointments crucial to our asylum claim, such as with our lawyers. Hotels feel like open prisons, and although we can leave, we have no funds to do so. Being confined into one space has also led to a decline in our mental health and wellbeing as we are left alone, with nothing to do as we don’t have the right to work. Free bus travel will also allow us to integrate into the community, volunteer, attend college classes, places of worship and become familiar with our new home. The current asylum support is only enough to cover our food and essential needs, so some of us who are unable to walk for long distances due to medical reasons, may need to prioritize spending the allowance on transport. We want to contribute to society by volunteering, we want to gain new skills and we want to have the choice to travel. We are individuals with experience and education, and most importantly we are human. Humans that have gone through hardship, struggle and even persecution—and with this free bus travel, we will have some degree of freedom during our difficult Immigration process. The immigration system is stressful with many difficulties, with Free Bus Travel in Scotland, for such a small change, it will have a huge difference for us all.”

Those are their words, Presiding Officer. I need not say anything further.

I have a quick supplementary question. Who is the implementation working group responsible to?

Good morning and welcome to the 20th meeting in 2023 of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. We have received apologies from Annie Wells and Paul O’Kane.

The first item of business is to decide whether to take agenda item 4 in private. Do we agree to do so?

Members indicated agreement.

Agenda item 2 is pre-budget scrutiny. In this evidence session, we have a citizens panel from the whole family equality project. I refer members to papers 1 and 2.

We all met previously during an engagement session, so I am delighted to welcome you back here. I realise that this setting is more formal than our previous meeting was. I will introduce myself and then invite the other committee members to introduce themselves. My name is Kaukab Stewart and I am the convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee.

Thank you, members. I invite the members of our panel to introduce themselves, briefly. We will go from left to right, as I see it.

Thank you. Once again, you are very welcome.

I know that you are supported by other members of your group in the public gallery; we welcome them, too. I recognise their input in enabling us to be in this position today.

I understand that John is going to make an opening statement and that each of you is then going to read out a question—or questions—that you would like the committee to put to the Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees in our session later this morning.

John, I invite you to begin your statement.

Thank you—that was very helpful.

To reassure you, Afam, I should say that your question will be asked by my colleague Fulton MacGregor, who is on his way to the Parliament as we speak. He will be coming in a little way through the meeting, before the minister starts—he is just running late.

We have a few minutes left. Would the witnesses like to comment further? From the committee’s point of view, we are particularly interested in whether the Parliament can do anything more to support citizens such as yourselves to be able to talk confidently about budget provisions. Is there anything further that can be done in that respect? If you do not have an answer just now, that is okay, but please do feed back to us on that.

While you think about that, I will ask my other question. How could more people get involved in this work? How could we enable that to happen? Afam, you indicated that you would like to say something.

Thank you—that was a very helpful and valuable insight. You are correct that the Parliament is built on the principles of transparency and accountability. I know that MSPs walk past the meeting rooms, so your point about having the door open, so that they can walk in and listen directly, is a powerful one, and thank you for making it.

I see that Fulton MacGregor has joined us. Fulton, I will give you just a couple of minutes to find your feet. You will be asking Justine’s question. Would you like any further information from Justine about why the panel picked it? That is what the other committee members have been asking, but you do not have to, as we are coming to the end of this session.

That will be great. Thank you very much.

We move on to questions from Maggie Chapman.