Fears raised over Immigration Bill
Categories: Articles:Asylum & Refugees |
Published: 21/01/2014 |
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Ten Scottish organisations including Scottish Refugee Council issue a joint statement expressing concerns about the Immigration Bill. Ministers in Scotland must intervene to prevent “inappropriate” and “unworkable” UK Government proposals on immigration taking effect in Scotland, a cross-sector group of organisations has warned. In a statement going to Immigration Minister Mark Harper and Deputy FM Nicola Sturgeon, representatives from Scotland’s housing, health, migrants’ rights and refugee sectors raise concerns about the UK Government’s Immigration Bill, yet to come before the House of Commons at report stage, which proposes landlords must check tenants’ immigration status, while temporary migrants could be charged for NHS services. (Alan Robertson, Holyrood Magazine)
The Scottish Refugee Council, Shelter Scotland, and Royal College of GPs in Scotland are among ten co-signatories warning discrimination could be stoked and inequality exacerbated by the proposals, while landlords and health professionals will be unduly burdened.
“We regard the proposals as inappropriate in principle, unworkable in practice, and lacking in proper evidence,” says the statement, which has been seen by Holyrood.
The UK Government is expected to seek agreement from the Scottish Parliament to legislate with regard to devolved matters. Though immigration and asylum are reserved, regulation of the landlord-tenant relationship and NHS services fall within the devolved realm.
The group of organisations has now urged the Scottish Government to open formal discussions with Westminster over legislative consent. Read full article
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