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The member makes a very valid point. Co-operation is required—that should take place. There might well be a need for the money to follow the process. If that could help the process, I would certainly support that.

Police Scotland gave the committee various ideas. Trust in the police may be second nature to us here, but that is not always the case for asylum seekers who come from very different cultural backgrounds, in which the police are not seen to be supportive. A certain amount of buy-in is required to get full co-operation from asylum seekers, and it must be recognised that such engagement can require significant commitment from police officers.

A key part of that engagement is the use of third-party reporting centres, which have been set up by many organisations and individuals. There are now more than 400 of the venues across Scotland, and they are run by experienced third sector organisations. The centres are an important part of the support network for asylum seekers in Scotland. They also allow asylum seekers to engage with the police and with others who provide support. Police Scotland has said that more and more organisations are coming forward to be involved in the process, which includes high street venues such as coffee shops. That is very welcome. Going forward, it is important that Police Scotland continues to be supported to break down the many barriers that asylum seekers face and that it has the opportunity to do that.

As we have heard today, asylum seekers face a number of challenges when they arrive in Scotland. The committee’s report has shone a light on all that is happening in this area. As well as tackling the on-going housing crisis, it is important that the Government does what it can to support the police, local authorities and the numerous hard-working third sector organisations that continue to provide support for asylum seekers. I pay tribute to all those who have taken the time and used their talents to do that.

If the Government takes an approach that tackles those issues, I have no doubt that it will find support from many parts of the chamber. We all want to support individuals who come here by giving them the best start in a new world so that they can move forward.

I am pleased to contribute to a debate that covers a number of issues that I encountered throughout my time as a member of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee.

I welcome the fact that the committee launched the inquiry and published its report. Although immigration and asylum are reserved to the UK Government, the committee has made a number of recommendations that are relevant to both the Scottish Government and local authorities. I therefore hope that today’s debate can be about what the Scottish Government can do to improve the lives of asylum seekers here, in Scotland.

One of the key issues that the committee considered was housing and the on-going shortage of new affordable homes. The supply of such homes has decreased over the past 12 months. The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations has highlighted that the strain on supply is coming at a time when demand is increasing. That is creating problems when it comes to finding suitable accommodation for asylum seekers and is leading to the use of hotel accommodation, guest houses and emergency accommodation becoming too common.

When an asylum seeker receives a positive decision on their application, the lack of affordable housing is still creating problems for them and they might find it hard to find a place to live. Migrant Help was able to highlight that effectively.

We know that the housing crisis has consequences that go beyond the impact on asylum seekers. However, it is clear that an ambitious approach to Scotland’s housing crisis will be required, as hotels and the other types of accommodation that I mentioned are not the best facilities in which to place these individuals. The committee recognised that, as did the individuals who gave up their time to speak to us.

Another issue that the committee identified was the lack of suitable training for those who engage with asylum seekers. There have been various reports of that being a significant problem, which is perhaps to be expected, given that those people might often be housing officers or hotel staff. Sometimes, they are not best placed to help these individuals because of that.

It is important that anyone who engages with asylum seekers is given appropriate training, but the opportunities to receive training are difficult to come by. A written submission from the Mears Group highlights some of the training that their welfare support officers currently receive. That includes mandatory courses to help identify asylum seekers with mental health issues and training in how to de-escalate difficult situations when necessary. Many of these individuals find themselves in difficult situations. As we have already heard today, some asylum seekers did not believe that they were in Scotland. That major issue needs to be addressed. Positive action needs to be taken to support these individuals. The committee is right to recommend that the Scottish Government should help to develop specific training for all those who work with asylum seekers and in the asylum system.

The committee has also received helpful evidence from Police Scotland during the inquiry, and it is clear that the police play an important role in engaging with—

Of course.

The 30-bed ward at Forth Valley royal hospital, which is part of the new national treatment centre that is aimed at increasing capacity for operations, has been delayed after national health service troubleshooters found problems with the construction project that could compromise patient safety.

The review of NHS Scotland assure found ventilation, fire safety and flooding concerns with the project. Have no lessons been learned following problems at other facilities? What action is the Scottish Government taking to rectify the situation?

In the Scottish National Party’s 2021 manifesto, it pledged to create a £2 million fund for public artworks. In the summer, questions were raised regarding the distribution of those funds, with the Scottish Government being unable to confirm a timeframe at that stage. Months have passed now, so I ask the cabinet secretary to give more detail on what the pledge means and when the commitment will be met.

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is supporting the arts sector. (S6O-02830)

Grass-roots music venues are key to supporting emerging Scottish talent, and it is vital that the talent gets that support. However, in Scotland this year, 22 per cent of grass-roots music venues have closed or are in crisis.

What recent conversations has the cabinet secretary had with grass-roots music venues about their concerns with regard to support for the sector?

I thank Kenneth Gibson for bringing this important debate to the chamber. Today’s debate is an opportunity for me to step into old shoes from the years that I spent as my party’s spokesperson on older people, which was a role that I took great pride in. As I turn 61 today, I am a proud older person. [Applause.]

The debate also gives me an opportunity to discuss some of the biggest challenges that face older people across Scotland, some of which I have spoken about before in the chamber. Age Scotland’s second big survey provides a detailed snapshot of the challenges that older people face in Scotland in 2023. The survey—to which more than 4,100 people over the age of 50 contributed—highlighted on-going issues with older people’s mental health, which some respondents felt were long-lasting effects of the Covid-19 situation.

Loneliness is often an issue that comes up when the mental health challenges that older people face are discussed, and the survey confirms that it is still very much a live issue. Nearly half of the respondents to the survey said that they sometimes felt lonely, and 10 per cent said that they felt lonely either most or all of the time. Age Scotland supports 400 organisations and community groups with their vitally important work to prevent and tackle loneliness, but many of those groups are struggling to keep their doors open and keep the lights on. In recent years, at least 30 groups have been forced to close. Looking forward, it is important that those groups are supported to continue to provide support for individuals. They are a lifeline across communities, and I commend and congratulate all of them.

The First Minister was entering office when Age Scotland’s big survey was carried out, and respondents were asked about what priorities the Government should have. Unsurprisingly, social care and the national health service ranked highly among their priorities. Respondents suggested that the importance of reducing waiting lists and maintaining a seamless and joined-up approach in social care should be highlighted. Only 4 per cent of respondents thought that issues such as independence should be classed as priorities.

In looking at the findings, one of the biggest concerns is the fact that just 13 per cent of the older people who responded said that they felt valued for their contribution to society. That is even lower than the figure of 21 per cent that was recorded in the 2021 survey.

Along with the many other pieces of research carried out by Age Scotland, the big survey has provided an important spotlight on older people’s priorities, and on the challenges that they face in their communities. That is very important at a time when the views of older people are rarely given the attention that they deserve, and I thank Age Scotland for doing that work and giving those people a voice.

Today’s debate gives members the chance to reflect on the fantastic work that Age Scotland has done over the last 80 years, which has supported countless older people across communities. I know that in my region of Mid Scotland and Fife, numerous organisations and individuals have benefited from Age Scotland’s support, and other organisations and charities have supported individuals who are lonely. Kenneth Gibson talked about men’s sheds. I have visited fantastic men’s sheds in my region, where men come together to support one another, which provides a real benefit.

I know that Kenneth Gibson wishes the chief executive, Katherine Crawford, the best success going forward. I also do that, because it is vitally important that individuals in communities in our constituencies are supported, and that the voice of older people is truly heard.

To ask the Scottish Government how many civil servants worked on the production of the latest “Building a New Scotland” paper on immigration and European Union policy. (S6O-02775)

The minister has just related that 21 civil servants may have spent their time working on a policy that will never be implemented. Does he think that civil servants’ time is better spent on dealing with national health service backlogs, for example, or on writing this latest piece of literature in the Scottish National Party’s taxpayer-funded independence campaign?