FIRST ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford have said both Scotland and Wales were willing to become “super sponsors” for Ukrainian refugees.
The UK Government is set to launch a scheme where individuals and organisations can sponsor refugees to come into the country, but the Scottish and Welsh first ministers told Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, they wanted to “maximise” their contribution and act as “super sponsors”.
In a letter to Gove, they also renewed their calls on Westminster to waive all visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals trying to get into the UK.
READ MORE: 'Dirty Russian money' in the UK is tarnishing Scottish brand
Sturgeon said she wanted Scotland to play its “full part in welcoming Ukrainians seeking sanctuary from war” and criticised the UK response as one “beset with bureaucracy and red tape”.
The governments in Holyrood and Cardiff said super sponsorship would enable Ukrainians to get clearance to enter each country quickly and be housed temporarily while they work with local partners to provide longer term accommodation, safeguarding and access to services.
The Scottish First Minister said: “We are still awaiting full details of the proposed community sponsorship scheme.
“If the UK Government is still unwilling to waive visa requirements, it is essential that this scheme works efficiently and effectively and allows people to come to the UK as quickly as possible.
“However, I am very worried that if people have to be matched with an individual sponsor before even being allowed entry to the UK, it will prove slow and cumbersome.
“That is why the First Minister of Wales and I have made the ‘super sponsor’ proposal. We are proposing that our governments act as initial ‘super sponsors’ to allow large numbers to come to our respective nations quickly.”
In the first wave, the first ministers said Scotland would expect to take in 3000 and Wales 1000. Under the plans more would be welcomed in later waves.
In the letter to the Levelling Up Secretary, both first ministers said it was “neither reasonable nor morally acceptable to expect people fleeing war to go through complex bureaucratic processes in order to reach safety within the UK”.
They added: “The UK Government should be following the example of European countries including the Republic of Ireland by waiving all visa requirements for any Ukrainian nationals seeking refuge in the UK, as well as implementing the temporary protection regulations.”
Both Sturgeon and Drakeford also called for clarity on funding arrangements to support local governments, and said a per head funding arrangement similar to the Syrian and Afghanistan schemes to support resettlement and integration costs was needed.
“We are absolutely committed to playing our full part in responding to this crisis and are seeking the maximum flexibility to develop clear plans, based on evolving what has worked in the past,” the letter said.
“The Scottish and Welsh Governments, working with local authorities and other partners, are best placed to deliver and to ensure the arrangements put in place are safe, sustainable and offer true sanctuary to those fleeing war.”
Gove said the “crisis in Ukraine has sent shock waves across the world as hundreds of thousands of innocent people have been forced to flee their homes, leaving everything they know and love behind”.
Next week, the UK Government will roll out the uncapped Homes for Ukraine scheme, with a website gathering expressions of interest from sponsors set to open on Monday.
Launching the scheme Gove said the UK “stands behind Ukraine in their darkest hour and the British public understand the need to get as many people to safety as quickly as we can”.
He added: “I urge people across the country to join the national effort and offer support to our Ukrainian friends. Together we can give a safe home to those who so desperately need it.”
There is no need for the refugees to have family ties to the UK, and the scheme will allow people in the UK to nominate a named Ukrainian or a named Ukrainian family to stay with them in their home, or will allow them to offer a separate property.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said it would also be working to enable communities, the voluntary sector and organisations such as charities and religious groups to sponsor groups of Ukrainians.
Ukrainians who have sponsorship will be granted three years leave to remain in the UK, with entitlement to work and access public services.
Those offering accommodation will be vetted and Ukrainian applicants will undergo security checks.
Sponsors who provide homes or a spare room rent-free for a minimum stay of six months will receive £350 per month.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel