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I thank Clare Adamson for raising such an important issue. It should go without saying that people arriving here who are escaping the trauma of war should be afforded dignity and privacy so that they can rebuild their lives here in Scotland. I hope that that will be respected by everyone across Scotland, the media and others included.

We will do all that we can with our local authority and third sector partners to ensure that we give the people who arrive from Ukraine the protection and safeguarding that they need. There is genuine goodwill among the people of Scotland towards the people who are arriving here, and it has been heartening to see that, but Claire Adamson is right that we need to continue to reflect on what is happening and ensure that they are given a warm Scottish welcome when they arrive.

Yes, I do, and I thank Gillian Mackay for raising that important and concerning development. I said in my previous answer that we have been working closely and well at the official and ministerial level, so it is all the more disappointing that the first that we heard of the development was when Lord Harrington articulated it to the Commons committee this morning. That is clearly unacceptable in itself.

The £10,500 per person tariff is for local authorities

“to provide support to families to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities.”

It is there to meet costs incurred by councils that will come up regardless of how the people arrive. The Scottish Government is, of course, providing local authorities with funding of £13 million over and above the UK Government tariff.

The UK Government decision will clearly leave some local authorities disadvantaged because displaced people will arrive via the family route rather than the homes for Ukraine or supersponsor route. Any areas that have a significant Ukrainian settled population will obviously see more people arriving by the family route and they will therefore be disadvantaged.

I totally agree that such a potential lack of parity is unacceptable. I assure Gillian Mackay that we will pursue the matter vigorously with the UK Government, and I expect other areas across the UK to do likewise. The UK Government must reconsider.

We have been working closely with the UK Government on the operation of its homes for Ukraine scheme, and Scotland’s supersponsor offer to provide a safe place of refuge and sanctuary to displaced Ukrainians as part of that scheme is now open.

The people who come here from Ukraine have a right to work and have access to social security and public funds, so we will ensure that people are aware of, and get access to, the wide range of services and support that they need. The complex needs and human rights of those who are fleeing the atrocities in Ukraine are our number 1 priority. Welcome packs in Ukrainian will provide information on accessing a range of support, translators will be on hand to help and trauma experts will be on call.

We continue to work closely with the UK Government on the design and operation of the homes for Ukraine scheme. We are focused on ensuring a smooth and early flow of data to support the operation of the Scottish Government’s supersponsor programme and to meet our objectives for a warm and well-delivered welcome for all those who arrive in Scotland. Just yesterday, I met Lord Richard Harrington to emphasise that need.

Obviously, we are still reliant on the UK Government’s immigration system to work at pace to get through visa applications and ensure that that data comes to the Scottish Government. We are maintaining pressure on the UK Government to ensure that that happens at pace, given everything that Liam McArthur said about the situation on the ground.

We have provided more than £13 million of support that will be distributed to local authorities to acknowledge the work that will be required of them. That is over and above the £10,500 that the UK Government has committed to provide to local authorities for each person who arrives from Ukraine.

At the outset, I thank Clare Adamson for lodging her motion. I wish her well and hope that she has a speedy recovery. I also thank my colleague Gordon MacDonald for stepping in so well.

In addition, I thank colleagues from all parts of the chamber who have shared stories from their constituencies, which has highlighted—as Gordon MacDonald set out so well—the level of support that exists for the fair trade movement in communities up and down the country.

I will reflect on some of the contributions that we have heard. Gordon MacDonald was absolutely right to congratulate the Balerno fair trade village group and the schools in his constituency, as well as those that he mentioned in Newmains and Morningside in Clare Adamson’s constituency; I previously represented those schools when I was in the House of Commons.

Sharon Dowey mentioned the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, which I will come to, and rightly congratulated the Honeybee and the Hare cafe in the region that she represents. I pay tribute to Colin Smyth for his work in Parliament and his region on promoting and prioritising fair trade. I also echo his thanks to those who campaign in schools and communities to promote fair trade.

Paul McLennan reminded us why the issue is important, given the horrific events that we are seeing in Ukraine. As we know, the human cost of that is not felt by Ukraine in isolation—it is spread much more widely. As we look to ensure food supplies around the world, we must do so with fairness and with producers in mind.

Maggie Chapman rightly reminded us all of our collective and individual responsibilities, and pointed out that fair trade is not about charity but is about justice and rights.

Ruth Maguire mentioned the North Ayrshire Fairtrade zone group—I, too, congratulate the group—and reminded us of the work that we still have to do to extend availability of products to ensure better treatment for, for instance, the cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.

Sarah Boyack highlighted some real examples of the benefits—in Bolivia, Rwanda and Malawi—that fair trade delivers for people. She was right to say that we have more to do.

In my constituency of Airdrie and Shotts, Airdrie became a Fairtrade town in 2015 and North Lanarkshire Council achieved Fairtrade status in 2020. In addition, many organisations such as Shotts healthy living centre and St Andrew’s Hospice sell fair trade goods. Members are absolutely right to draw on those experiences. I thank those organisations for the work that they are doing.

Nevertheless, as Sarah Boyack and other members have said, we have more work to do. The year 2023 will mark 10 years since Scotland achieved fair trade nation status. We were rightly proud of that accolade back in 2013, and we continue to take pride in it as we prepare to renew our commitment to fair trade for a second time. Next year, an expert panel will decide whether we can continue to call ourselves a fair trade nation.

However, what does being a fair trade nation mean? How does it help the 700 million people around the world who still exist on less than $2 a day; the 63 million children who still do not have access to education; or the 55 per cent of people living in rural areas who do not have access to soap and water? Being a fair trade nation means that, in everything that we do as a country, the principles of fairness, social justice and gender equity are at the forefront of our minds.

It also means that, as a Government, those principles must be at the heart of our policies. Gordon MacDonald set out perfectly the impact that that has on people around the world. That includes policies such as our commitment to ensuring that more of our funding goes directly to our partner countries, thereby shifting the balance of power and supporting people in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia to build more resilient and equal communities.

At the 26th United Nations climate change conference of the parties—COP26—we committed to increasing our climate justice fund to £36 million over the current session of Parliament, thereby providing additional support for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities.

From April 2022, we will start to increase our international development fund by 50 per cent, to £15?million per year, with the first increase, to £11.5 million, being due next month. In doing so, our programme will continue to recognise the needs of communities in our partner countries that are impacted by Covid-19, and we will carry on with our efforts of the past two years to provide them with support as they build back from the pandemic.

We also remain committed to responding to global crises through our £1 million per year humanitarian emergency fund, which has, over the past two years, been activated for Lebanon, Niger, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Afghanistan and, most recently, Burkina Faso.

Nevertheless, our funding is only one part of our contribution and support for the global south. Our approach on policy coherence for sustainable development makes it clear that our wider policies in Government, and how people in Scotland embrace active global citizenship, also play huge parts in Scotland’s global impact and contribution. Our buying choices and our commitment to fair trade are a key part of that.

Being successful in our bid to renew our fair trade nation status will be due in no small part to the efforts of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum. The forum, which has been core funded from the international development fund since 2007, has worked tirelessly to build support for the fair trade movement across all sections of Scottish society. In all that it does—its engagement with fair trade groups from the Borders to the islands; the annual Fairtrade awards, which recognise the achievements of individuals, community groups and businesses; and its work in schools, helping teachers to educate the next generation about being good global citizens—the forum has been driving forward change.

The work of schools has been a thread in the debate, so I should say that my oldest two children, Isla and Finlay, have been learning about fair trade in their school. That is so important because they have become not just advocates but—-to be frank—evangelists for ensuring that we buy fair trade goods when we are out getting the messages.

I am proud of all that has been achieved since we became a fair trade nation, but it is vital that we keep up the momentum. That is why I am pleased to announce, in addition to the £1.7 million that the Scottish Government has already provided to build its capacity, the Scottish Fair Trade Forum will be provided with another £324,000 over the next two financial years to take forward our fair trade nation work. In addition, I have—like many of my fellow members—signed the Scottish Fair Trade Forum’s pledge. In doing so, I am committing to take action to promote Scotland’s fair trade nation status.

When global catastrophes occur, whether they be natural disasters such as the recent devastation that was caused by tropical storm Ana in Malawi, or acts of aggression such as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, we feel compelled to act. However, while pictures of the daily struggles of fair trade farmers and producers rarely make the headlines, the challenges that they face, day after day, simply to put food on the table, are a harsh reality for millions of people.

Sometimes it can feel like there is little that we can do to change that, but the simple fact is that there is something that we can do. We can make a huge difference just by choosing products that carry the Fairtrade mark, the next time we shop. The Fairtrade premium ensures that farmers and producers can feed their families, build homes, buy medicines and send their children to school. Those are basic human needs—things that many of us take for granted—but for some, they are luxuries that remain out of reach.

Together, we can change that. Time and again, the people of Scotland demonstrate that we are a caring nation. Whenever there is a cry, whether it be from close to home or from the furthest corners of the earth, we will do all that we can to help. I thank Clare Adamson, Gordon MacDonald and colleagues for their leadership in that regard today.

Tomorrow, I will chair the first meeting of the community integration partnership, which will bring together key partners from across Scotland. I will also meet with international non-governmental organisations working in Scotland to discuss how they might contribute to the United Kingdom Government community sponsorship route, given their experience of the Syrian resettlement scheme. That will build on the incredible partnership work that is already under way.

I thank Scottish Government officials, whom I meet daily and sometimes hourly, and their partners in local government and the public, private and third sectors for their work in recent weeks. We continue to work closely with the Home Office, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, local authorities themselves and other partners to provide people with the safety and security that they need to rebuild their lives.

The UK Government’s proposals remain insufficient, given the urgency and gravity of the situation. We continue to urge the UK Government to follow the examples of Ireland and countries across the European Union and to waive visa requirements for all Ukrainians and develop a comprehensive resettlement programme to ensure that Ukrainian citizens can be provided with the safety and security that they need to rebuild their lives.

Scotland has a proud history of welcoming refugees and people seeking sanctuary from war and violence. The Scottish Government and Scotland’s local authorities have made clear to the United Kingdom Government that we stand ready to offer refuge and sanctuary, where necessary, for those who may be displaced.

I look forward to chairing the first community integration partnership meeting tomorrow, which will consider how to ensure that we are effectively supporting Ukrainian communities in Scotland. We will build on the work that is already under way.

We will continue to engage with our Ukrainian communities as we work to ensure that all those arriving in Scotland, as well as those already here, receive the support that they need. I was pleased to meet the acting Ukrainian consul general, Yevhen Mankovskyi, when he was in Parliament yesterday and to discuss those matters directly.

I thank Willie Coffey for his interest and for raising those critical issues. We are engaging with a range of partners to ensure that wraparound support is in place for all displaced people arriving in Scotland. People who come here from Ukraine have a right to work and to benefits and public funds, so we will ensure that people are aware of, and get access to, services such as those that Mr Coffey mentions.

We are working rapidly to establish welcome hubs that will triage people and find out what support they need. Multiagency teams are lining up support that will cover a range of areas, from healthcare to clothing and food. Welcome packs and information leaflets translated into Ukrainian and giving information about how to access support, including social security, will also be provided and translators will be on hand to help.

I reiterate Scotland’s long history of welcoming and supporting displaced people and asylum seekers. We stand ready to support people from Ukraine, as we have people from other countries.

Yes—absolutely. Fiona Hyslop raises very important issues about twinning, which are being explored. We very much welcome people’s generous offers to open their homes and their hearts to the people of Ukraine. I absolutely join her in thanking families for offering their homes and their time, for making donations and for the messages of solidarity and support.

As the First Minister said in Parliament yesterday, our priority is to ensure that we are ready to welcome displaced people from Ukraine to Scotland by the weekend, when the first visas, I hope, will start to be issued. The welcome hubs that we are establishing will provide a warm welcome, safety and any immediate assistance. We will also be funding the Scottish Refugee Council to provide support for the Ukrainian family scheme and humanitarian sponsorship pathway in Scotland, which includes planning for increased protection and integration support.