Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04001 on 8 November 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04001 on
‎ 8 November 2021 . All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
‎

Since 25 January 2019, a period largely covered by Covid restrictions, there have been the following cases referred to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) for consideration of prosecution:

Asylum is reserved to the UK Parliament and handled by the Home Office. This includes family reunion and the establishment of refugee resettlement schemes. UK immigration rules currently only allow for the reunion of dependent children under 18 and spouses, or long term partners, with refugees already living in the UK.

The Scottish Government has repeatedly urged the UK Government to review its family reunion policy and to consider expanding eligibility so that more people can be reunited safely with their family in the UK. Most recently, I raised concern about the impact of the Nationality and Borders Bill on family reunion rights in my letter of 1 September to the Home Secretary. The Minister for Justice and Tackling Illegal Migration replied on 19 October. He responded on some of the points raised and indicated further discussion with Scottish Ministers should follow. The Scottish Government will continue to press the UK Government for clarity on the implications of this legislation for Scotland.

We have an ongoing and unwavering commitment to land reform. We will aim to bring forward a new Land Reform Bill by the end of 2023, and we plan to double the Scottish Land Fund to £20m by the end of this Parliament, providing more support to enable communities to own land and assets.

We will undertake a wide-ranging consultation in the course of 2022 on proposals for the Bill, and remain committed to working with all stakeholders, including land owning interests and community representatives, to develop policy and legislative solutions to progress our proposals.

The Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution and External Affairs and I met with the then Minister for Immigration Compliance and the Courts on 16 June 2021 to discuss the New Plan for Immigration. This was prior to the introduction of the Nationality and Borders Bill at Westminster on 6 July. Scottish Government Ministers have had no subsequent discussions with UK Government Ministers on the Nationality and Borders Bill.

The First Minister wrote to the Home Secretary on 26 July, setting out significant concerns about the implications of the Nationality and Borders Bill, including measures which propose to differentiate between refugees and treat them differently based on their journey to the UK and not their protection need.

I wrote to the Home Secretary in further detail on 1 September. That letter is available on the Scottish Government website: Nationality and Borders Bill: letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government to Secretary of State for the Home Department - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

We have an ongoing and unwavering commitment to land reform, and to tackling the issues associated with the scale and concentration of land ownership. We will be introducing a new Land Reform Bill by the end of 2023, which will aim to ensure that the public interest is considered on transfers of particularly large scale land holdings. We also aim to introduce a pre-emption in favour of community buy-out where the public interest test applies, and where it is appropriate to do so.

In addition we are committed to doubling the funding available for communities to buy land and land assets through the Scottish Land Fund, to £20 million, by the end of this Parliament.

We will be undertaking a wide-ranging public consultation on proposals for the Bill in 2022, and we are committed to engaging with all stakeholders to develop policy and legislative solutions to progress our proposals.

We consider that as part of a package of measures in the forthcoming Land Reform Bill, a public interest test could potentially make a significant contribution to our longstanding land reform objectives by stimulating a more productive, diverse and dynamic pattern of land use.

The test will aim to ensure that the public interest is considered on transfers of particularly large scale land holdings, and we will aim to introduce a pre-emption in favour of community buy-out where the public interest test applies, and where it is appropriate to do so. We intend that the public interest test will help address the issues associated with concentrated land ownership.

It will comply with both the European Convention on Human Rights, including the right to private property, and the terms of the current devolution settlement. This reflects the principled position of the SG, and our explicit commitment to respecting, protecting and fulfilling human rights for every member of society. It will also complement existing Community Right to Buy legislation.

We will be undertaking a wide-ranging public consultation on proposals for the Bill in 2022, including the public interest test, and we are committed to engaging with all stakeholders to develop policy and legislative solutions to progress our proposals.

It is a matter for SPCB under its legal responsibilities to provide a safe and secure estate.  As the decision on applying to become a designated site was based on confidential security advice from Police Scotland, it would not have been appropriate to have held discussions with external organisations. The decision will have no bearing on campaign groups, trade unions and other organisations or individuals who protest in a robust but peaceful way at Holyrood. 

The SPCB received comprehensive security assessment and advice from Police Scotland recommending application for designated status for the parliamentary complex.