THE First Minister has been urged to “think again” by the Scottish Greens after a “disrespectful” decision to halt plans for free bus travel for asylum seekers.
The policy was dropped this week by the Scottish Government after it had initially planned to have a nationwide pilot up and running by the end of the financial year.
The Government said the policy was “unaffordable” amid budget pressures.
Green MSPs Mark Ruskell and Maggie Chapman, whose portfolios are transport and equalities respectively, have now both written to John Swinney urging him to reconsider.
The policy came about as part of the Bute House Agreement between the Greens and the SNP and followed a cross-party campaign by refugee rights organisations and a pilot programme in Glasgow.
The Scottish Government committed £2million from the 2024/25 budget last October to deliver the scheme.
Maryhill Integration Network, a Glasgow-based charity working with asylum seekers, said it was “extremely disappointed” by the news the policy had been ditched earlier this week.
The letter from the Green MSPs says: “The Scottish Government does not have the power to build its own asylum and protection system, but we do have the ability – and the responsibility – to use what powers we have to support those who have come to Scotland in search of protection.
“Over the past month, we have seen some of the worst examples of far-right violence in the UK for years. People seeking asylum have been specifically targeted in their homes, threatened, and attacked.
“So, it is deeply ironic that precisely at the time we should be ramping up our offer of support and care to those seeking protection, the Scottish Government has decided to roll back on this commitment.
“We are devastated that this policy has been axed and are deeply concerned about the impact this will have on people seeking asylum in Scotland.
"We are frustrated at the disrespect this shows to refugee rights organisations that have given countless hours of time, expertise, and energy to support the Scottish Government’s development of this policy."
Ruskell and Chapman highlighted in their letter that asylum seekers are not allowed to work under UK immigration rules and are forced to survive on “barely £50 a week” to meet their essential living needs.
The Greens’ letter added: “Those living in hotels are surviving on barely £8 a week for all essentials beyond meals. Many are stuck in completely inappropriate housing, isolated from local communities, and vulnerable to harassment and intimidation from an emboldened far right.”
Maryhill Integration Network said the news could be devastating for asylum seekers, with some viewing it as "a last ray of hope under such difficult and hostile policies".
The announcement the policy was being pulled was made by Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart at an event to mark the launch of the Scottish Government's new refugee integration strategy.
But the Greens have laid out fears there has been “no formal public announcement” about the move or the rationale behind it.
The MSPs added: “Given the months of promises and restatements of its commitment to this policy, this U-turn will likely generate distrust and resentment towards the Scottish Government and Parliament. It reflects badly on us as politicians and policy makers at a time when we should be working to build trust with marginalised communities.”
“We urge you to immediately restore the Scottish Government’s commitment to expand free bus travel to people seeking asylum.”
Poverty Alliance chief executive Peter Kelly said asylum seekers were effectively "barred" from public transport, adding: "They get so little financial support, they simply can’t afford the fares."
He said that research showed having poor access to public transport was detrimental to the mental health of asylum seekers.
