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Chamber and committees

Stopping Illegal Immigration and Recognising its Impact on Housing

  • Submitted by: Russell Findlay, West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.
  • Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2025
  • Motion type: Motion For Debate
  • Motion reference: S6M-19252
  • Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, 08 October 2025

Motions as amended

That the Parliament notes that the suspension of local connection referrals in 2022 did not change the rights of newly recognised refugees to choose where they settle in Scotland, nor did it prevent Scottish local authorities from referring households presenting as homeless to an English or Welsh local authority with which they have a local connection; reaffirms that Scotland is a welcoming nation to people fleeing persecution, seeking safety and who have been granted refugee status, ensuring that they can rebuild their lives in the country through the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy; highlights action in Scotland to tackle homelessness and destitution, including new prevention measures in the Housing (Scotland) Bill, increased investment in affordable homes and the £4 million investment in homelessness prevention pilots, alongside the extension of rapid rehousing transition plan funding of £8 million into 2026-27, and calls again on the UK Government to urgently uphold the European Convention on Human Rights, 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol.


Vote

Result 61 for, 51 against, 0 abstained, 17 did not vote Agreed

Scottish National Party

For
  • Karen Adam
  • Clare Adamson
  • Alasdair Allan
  • Tom Arthur
  • Colin Beattie
  • Keith Brown
  • Siobhian Brown
  • Stephanie Callaghan
  • Angela Constance
  • Graeme Dey
  • Natalie Don-Innes
  • Bob Doris
  • James Dornan
  • Jackie Dunbar
  • Annabelle Ewing
  • Jim Fairlie
  • Kate Forbes
  • Jenny Gilruth
  • Mairi Gougeon
  • Neil Gray
  • Emma Harper
  • Clare Haughey
  • Jamie Hepburn
  • Fiona Hyslop
  • Bill Kidd
  • Richard Lochhead
  • Gordon MacDonald
  • Fulton MacGregor
  • Rona Mackay
  • Ben Macpherson
  • Ruth Maguire
  • Gillian Martin
  • Michael Matheson
  • Màiri McAllan
  • Ivan McKee
  • Paul McLennan
  • Marie McNair
  • Jenni Minto
  • Audrey Nicoll
  • Angus Robertson
  • Shona Robison
  • Shirley-Anne Somerville
  • Collette Stevenson
  • Kaukab Stewart
  • Kevin Stewart
  • Nicola Sturgeon
  • John Swinney
  • Michelle Thomson
  • Maree Todd
  • David Torrance
  • Evelyn Tweed
  • Elena Whitham
  • Humza Yousaf
Against
0
Abstained
0
Did not vote
  • George Adam
  • Willie Coffey
  • Joe FitzPatrick
  • Kenneth Gibson
  • Christine Grahame
  • Stuart McMillan
  • Emma Roddick

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

For
0
Against
  • Miles Briggs
  • Alexander Burnett
  • Jackson Carlaw
  • Finlay Carson
  • Sharon Dowey
  • Tim Eagle
  • Russell Findlay
  • Murdo Fraser
  • Maurice Golden
  • Dr Pam Gosal MBE
  • Jamie Halcro Johnston
  • Rachael Hamilton
  • Craig Hoy
  • Liam Kerr
  • Stephen Kerr
  • Douglas Lumsden
  • Edward Mountain
  • Oliver Mundell
  • Douglas Ross
  • Liz Smith
  • Alexander Stewart
  • Sue Webber
  • Annie Wells
  • Tess White
  • Brian Whittle
Abstained
0
Did not vote
  • Meghan Gallacher
  • Dr Sandesh Gulhane
  • Roz McCall

Scottish Labour

For
0
Against
  • Jackie Baillie
  • Neil Bibby
  • Sarah Boyack
  • Katy Clark
  • Pam Duncan-Glancy
  • Rhoda Grant
  • Mark Griffin
  • Daniel Johnson
  • Richard Leonard
  • Michael Marra
  • Pauline McNeill
  • Carol Mochan
  • Paul O'Kane
  • Alex Rowley
  • Davy Russell
  • Anas Sarwar
  • Paul Sweeney
  • Mercedes Villalba
  • Martin Whitfield
Abstained
0
Did not vote
  • Claire Baker
  • Monica Lennon

Scottish Green Party

For
  • Ariane Burgess
  • Maggie Chapman
  • Ross Greer
  • Patrick Harvie
  • Gillian Mackay
  • Mark Ruskell
  • Lorna Slater
Against
0
Abstained
0
Did not vote
0

Independent

For
  • John Mason
Against
  • Jeremy Balfour
  • Foysol Choudhury
Abstained
0
Did not vote
  • Fergus Ewing
  • Colin Smyth

Scottish Liberal Democrats

For
0
Against
  • Jamie Greene
  • Liam McArthur
  • Willie Rennie
  • Beatrice Wishart
Abstained
0
Did not vote
  • Alex Cole-Hamilton

Reform UK

For
0
Against
  • Graham Simpson
Abstained
0
Did not vote
0

Alba Party

For
0
Against
0
Abstained
0
Did not vote
  • Ash Regan

No Party Affiliation

For
0
Against
0
Abstained
0
Did not vote
  • Alison Johnstone

Original motion text

That the Parliament believes that illegal immigration must be stopped because of the damaging impact on public finances and local communities; recognises that the Scottish Government’s decision to suspend local connection rules in relation to homelessness provision back in 2022 has contributed towards attracting asylum seekers to Scotland at an unsustainable level, and calls on the Scottish Government to immediately reverse this decision.


Amendments that have not been voted on

Motion ref. S6M-19252.1

Stopping Illegal Immigration and Recognising its Impact on Housing - Amendment 1 - Amendment

Submitted by: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Reform UK , Date lodged: Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, October 8, 2025


Motion ref. S6M-19252.2

Stopping Illegal Immigration and Recognising its Impact on Housing - Amendment 2 - Amendment

Submitted by: Maggie Chapman, North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party, Date lodged: Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, October 8, 2025


Motion ref. S6M-19252.3

Stopping Illegal Immigration and Recognising its Impact on Housing - Amendment 3 - Amendment

Submitted by: Willie Rennie, North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date lodged: Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, October 8, 2025


Motion ref. S6M-19252.4

Stopping Illegal Immigration and Recognising its Impact on Housing - Amendment 4 - Amendment

Submitted by: Mark Griffin, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date lodged: Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, October 8, 2025


Motion ref. S6M-19252.5

Stopping Illegal Immigration and Recognising its Impact on Housing - Amendment 5 - Amendment

Submitted by: Màiri McAllan, Clydesdale, Scottish National Party, Date lodged: Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Supported by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, Kaukab Stewart
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, October 8, 2025