Scottish Government Debate: Building a New Scotland: Migration to Scotland after Independence

Jamie Hepburn S6M-11237 That the Parliament notes that Scotland’s population growth has relied on migration into Scotland; welcomes the fact that there are currently more people choosing to move to Scotland from the rest of the UK than those moving in the opposite direction; recognises the benefits of EU freedom of movement, which was lost as a result of Brexit; agrees that a decline in the working population would damage Scotland’s public services and economy; deplores the UK Government’s hostile rhetoric towards migrants, and welcomes the proposals in the Scottish Government paper, Migration to Scotland after independence, for a humane migration system tailored to Scotland’s needs. Donald Cameron S6M-11237.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-11237 in the name of Jamie Hepburn (Building a New Scotland: Migration to Scotland after Independence), leave out from “notes” to end and insert “regrets that Scotland has consistently taken below its population share of migrants, compared to the rest of the UK; acknowledges that Scotland is the highest taxed nation in the UK; agrees that a decline in the working population would harm Scotland’s public services and economy, and recognises that the Scottish Government must work with the UK Government to address these long-term population challenges.” Paul O'Kane S6M-11237.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-11237 in the name of Jamie Hepburn (Building a New Scotland: Migration to Scotland after Independence), leave out from first “welcomes” to end and insert “deplores the UK Conservative administration’s hostile rhetoric towards migrants; notes the Scottish Government paper, Migration to Scotland after independence; agrees that a decline in the working population would damage Scotland’s public services and economy; expresses its concern that recent UK and Scottish governments have left Scotland lacking the skills that it needs for the future; welcomes, therefore, the commitment from the UK Labour Party to build an immigration system that works for all the nations and regions of the United Kingdom, and agrees that, as well as ensuring that skills bodies in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK are frequently consulted, in order to inform the immigration system, there is more that the Scottish Government should be doing now to plan for the skills needs in the Scottish economy.”