The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 759 contributions
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 24 March 2022
Jenni Minto
Will you explain a bit more about what happens at the welcome hubs and what the families or individuals who arrive can expect?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 24 March 2022
Jenni Minto
One of the witnesses on the previous panel talked about co-ordination of the different schemes and how things were being co-ordinated if there was a concern about Ukrainians coming in on one scheme and perhaps in another, as well.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 24 March 2022
Jenni Minto
That is great. In our previous evidence session, Marie Hayes from the Red Cross talked about the importance of allowing children to become children again and to give them space.
When we had the consul general of Ukraine at the committee a couple of weeks ago, he talked about Ukraine’s education system and the fact that so much education can be provided online. Is that being brought in? We want the children to be welcomed into our schools, but their culture and education should be considered. Have you had discussions about that?
11:00Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 24 March 2022
Jenni Minto
As has just been said, it is very powerful when we get specific examples, so thank you for sharing those with us.
I represent Argyll and Bute, and the island of Bute welcomed Syrian families. When I spoke to a third sector organisation about lessons that have been learned from that scheme, mention was made of the additional benefits that the community received. For example, there was an Incredible Edible scheme, where Syrian families came and brought their ways of cooking vegetables. That was a good and cohesive project.
One concern that was raised with me was that, although Argyll and Bute Council did a fantastic job and, for example, provided a lot of support for learning English, there was perhaps a lack of recognition that people learn at different speeds. For example, the younger people learned very quickly, whereas the older people in families were a bit slower. I was interested in Andy Sirel’s points about form filling and getting through the different procedures. What are your thoughts on what we have learned and what we can do better? I ask Marie Hayes to start.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 24 March 2022
Jenni Minto
Your last point ties into a conversation that I had earlier this week about whether if a rural community welcomes Ukrainian families from a similar setting they will perhaps integrate better. Rather than people going from the city centre of Mariupol to Glendaruel in Argyll and Bute, for example, perhaps we could match people to settings that are similar to those that they are fleeing from. Your point was very helpful.
Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee
Meeting date: 23 March 2022
Jenni Minto
In her introduction, Elaine Whyte mentioned that there are difference resources across the different inshore fishery areas and that regional areas differ across Scotland. In your most recent answer, you talked about the need for communities to diversify their catch. Will you expand on that? How could the JFS provide opportunities in that regard? Perhaps Charles Millar has thoughts on that, too.
Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee
Meeting date: 23 March 2022
Jenni Minto
Thanks, Paul.
The Scottish Government has recently published proposals on a future catching policy and remote electronic monitoring. How will those proposals contribute to the science and innovation aims that are set out in the JFS?
Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee
Meeting date: 23 March 2022
Jenni Minto
Following on from that and from some of the evidence that we took from the previous witnesses, you talked about resources being joined-up between Marine Scotland and NatureScot, given that the science budget is limited. How are you working to use your scarce resources in the most appropriate manner to provide the right science?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 17 March 2022
Jenni Minto
Yes, I think that that is a huge conversation to have.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Meeting date: 17 March 2022
Jenni Minto
That is helpful. Before I was elected, I managed a small museum on Islay. Part of trying to spread the love, I suppose, of objects that are held in Scotland’s national institutions is about building trust and confidence in local organisations. It is wonderful to get an object that is appropriate to somebody who grew up on Islay. You are right that it is about trust and confidence.
My next question is for Kirsty Cumming. We have been through a difficult time with Covid, and we have changed the way that some things are done. I am interested in what you have learned. You suggested that you have lots of good examples of social prescribing and preventative measures. Will you share a few of them with us?