Welcome hubs set up in three regions of Scotland to accept Ukrainian refugees
welcome hubs for refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine have been set up in Scotland.
Neil Gray, the minister with responsibility for refugees, has told MSPS the centres in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Cairnryan would provide hot meals, translation services and traumasupport. but speaking at the constitution, Europe, external affairs and culture committee, Mr Gray said he did not know how many people from Ukraine were currently in Scotland under the“super sponsor” scheme.
The initiative allows Ukrainianrefugees to arrive in scotland under the Uk-wide Homes for Ukraine scheme, without havingbeen matched with a volunteer opening their home to take in a family.
Mr Gray said data-sharing arrangements with theukgov three ernment had not yet begun.
At the meeting, scottish green MSP Mark Ruskell warned thousands of Ukrainians already living in Scotland were being “totally failed” by the UK Government due to issues over visa schemes.
He said Ukrainians on seasonal work visas were still excluded from key humanitarian schemes for refugees set up by the UK Government, leaving them stuck in precarious employment, at risk of homelessness, and unable to be re unitedwith family from ukraine.
"We have chosen to act as a super-sponsor to short circuit the matching process and enable significant numbers of displaced Ukrainians to come to Scotland without unnecessary delay,” he said.
"To prepare for that we have established welcome hubs to support displaced Ukrainians arriving into Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Cairnryan – where all those who need it will find safe and comfortable accommodation and a hot meal, and where local partnerships are already in place to make an assessment of need for additional services."
He said the Government was working" flat out" to secure temporary and longer-termaccommodation for those who need it.
Mr Gray added: "As the First Minister said at the weekend, we will treat people with compassion,dignity and respect and Scotland will be their home for as they long as they need it to be ."
Conservative MSP Donald Cameron asked him about the number of refugees who had arrived in Scotland since the super-sponsor scheme opened.
Mr Gray said he did not know the number. He said: "The data flows have not started as the way that we would want them to start as yet. we haven' t got information in place. I don't believe that is bec au seuk government is holding it back from us.
"I just believe that the speed at which the system has been created – from First Minister's conception on one Friday to launch the following Friday – getting the system up and running has taken time."
A majority of those arriving so far were not doing so through the super-sponsor route, he said.
Mr rusk ell said while ukrainian refugees arriving through the Homes for Ukraine or Ukraine Family Scheme are granted three years leave to remain and full access to public funds, the only concessions providedby theuk government for Ukrainians on seasonal work visas is to extend their visas to December 2022. They remain excluded from the Ukraine Family Scheme and are barred from accessing social security.
He said: “We know that there are thousands of Ukrainian nationals working in farms across Scotland who are absolutely terrified for their families and loved ones in Ukraine, but can do nothing to bring them to safety. I’ve heard terrifying stories of Ukrainian workers on farms in Fife and Perthshire who are powerless to get their young children out of a war zone – this is nothing short of a scandal. It’s entirely within the power of the UK Home Office to fix this. But let’s be clear – the Tories in Westminster are choosing to exclude some Ukrainian refugees from protection. And the consequences are catastrophic."
Mr Ruskell added: “This is not what a functioning refugee protection system looks like. All those seeking safety from the war in Ukraine in Scotland need proper protection and support, regardless of whether they’re already here as a worker or recently arrived through new routes.
“A humanitarian crisis is not the time to be prioritising the smaller print on visas over people’s lives. The UK Government must act urgently to provide seasonal workers with the same rights and protections as other Ukrainian refugees.”
Mr gray said the scottish governmentwas in live discussions with theuk home office on the issue.
It comes as MSPS were told Scotland needed to ensure it does not create a “two tier system” for refugees from Ukraine and those from elsewhere.
Marie Hayes, Scotland directorof the british red cross, said while she welcomed the homes for Ukraine scheme, some refugees may prefer to have some time to process the situation in reception centres, rather than moving straight into a Scottish family home.
Many refugees from countries such as afghanistan are housed in special hotels in Glasgow for months while their cases are processed.
Hundreds of scots have signed up for the UK Government scheme .
Ms Hayes said: "If people do move into temporary accommodation, it is a challenge. At the moment, there are a lot of people still stuck in hotels from other schemes and we don't want a two-tier system, but we don't want to fail to learn from the fact that these are only very short-term solutions.”