Scottish Government policy on asylum: FOI release

Information requested

1. Any evidence that refugee charities have influenced Scottish Government policy on asylum, housing, or integration since 2020.

2. Copies of any policy submissions, briefings, or recommendations from refugee charities that were adopted by the government.

Response

It is important to note that immigration is a reserved matter and the provision and funding for asylum accommodation and support across the UK is primarily the responsibility of the Home Office. However, Scotland has a long history of welcoming people of all nationalities and faiths - including those seeking refuge and asylum from war and persecution - and supporting their integration into our communities.

For the purposes of your request, we have interpreted “refugees” as including people displaced from Ukraine.

Scottish Government adheres to the Civil Service Policy Profession standards which describe the skills and knowledge required by policy professionals at all stages of their career and provide the competency framework for their professional development. A core aspect of the strategic approach to policy making is that of ‘Participation and Engagement’ which requires policy-makers to understand the diverse needs of those affected by policy; to apply relevant approaches such as co-design; and to enable participation by stakeholders in the policy process. As such, consulting and engaging stakeholders representing refugees, housing or integration is central to how policy in those areas is developed.

For example, the national New Scots: refugee integration strategy 2018 to 2022 was developed and is led in partnership between the Scottish Government, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), and the Scottish Refugee Council. New Scots is committed to ensuring that steps are taken to enable refugees, asylum seekers and members of communities to engage with New Scots, so that their lived experience is central to delivery. It is further supported by seven theme groups which bring together statutory and non-statutory organisations, including service providers and third sector and community-based organisations with an interest in supporting refugees and asylum seekers.

Similarly, the Scottish response to the Ukraine crisis was informed by the New Scots strategy, with Scottish Government working in close partnership with the COSLA, the Scottish Refugee Council, local authorities, the third sector and local volunteer and business communities to provide a Warm Scots Welcome to displaced people from Ukraine. The Warm Scots Future policy paper, which outlines the transition from an emergency response to Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, to a long-term and holistic approach that supports the integration of displaced people from Ukraine, was written in partnership between Scottish Government, COSLA and Scottish Refugee Council. Scottish Refugee Council were members of the programme governance which have overseen our response.

As a result of this approach, our records of engagement with organisations, including those in the third sector and which would fall within scope of being considered charities, are extensive. Consequently, searches of these records can return an excessive number of documents due to the breadth and depth of engagement activity captured.

In response to your request, while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested would exceed the upper cost limit of £600.

• Any evidence that refugee charities have influenced Scottish Government policy on asylum, housing, or integration since 2020.

Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12. Unfortunately, your request returns hundreds of documents which would require review, and consideration as to whether 1) these are actually in scope of your request and 2) any redactions to in scope documents required.

It may be helpful to provide a more detailed request outlining the specific information you are seeking, or to narrow the scope of your request. This could include naming specific charities and their role within specific policy decisions which will narrow the scope of our searches.

• Copies of any policy submissions, briefings, or recommendations from refugee charities that were adopted by the government.

Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12. Unfortunately, your request returns hundreds of documents which would require review, and consideration as to whether 1) these are actually in scope of your request and 2) any redactions to in scope documents required.

It may be helpful to provide a more detailed request outlining the specific information you are seeking, or to narrow the scope of your request. The Scottish Government operate with partners via a number of governance channels, a specific ask highlighting specific charities or organisations will allow us to narrow the scope of the search.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.