Minister calls for talks about immigration

Scotland’s Constitution Secretary has called on the UK Government to “engage positively” on immigration reforms – as a new visa pilot scheme is due to be debated.

The scheme will be discussed in the Scottish parliament on Tuesday afternoon, with Angus Robertson calling for all parties to back the proposals.

The Scottish Government has proposed a rural visa pilot scheme in the hopes of stemming projected population drops in more remote parts of the country.

Recent figures from the National Records of Scotland show the country’s population shrinking to 5.39 million by 2045, from a peak of 5.48 million in 2028.

“The UK Government needs to acknowledge the distinct demographic challenges we face in Scotland and work together with the Scottish Government and our partners to deliver tailored migration solutions that meet the needs of our communities, employers, and economy,” said Robertson.

“We will be calling on the UK Government to engage positively with us in delivering this proposal as a practical reform to the immigration system.”

The Scottish Government published plans for a completely separate immigration system for Scotland in early 2020 but they were rejected by Westminster. The UK Government said: “Immigration is a UK Government reserved matter and the points-based immigration system works in the interest of the whole of the UK.”