Tag: Scottish Government

Fossil fuels driving extreme heat and climate breakdown

Environmental campaigners have commented on the extreme weather conditions in the UK. 


Friends of the Earth Scotland Head of Campaigns Mary Church said: “The extreme heat we are experiencing in Scotland, throughout the UK and Europe is one of the many frightening faces of climate change.

“We must be absolutely clear that the impacts of this heatwave on people’s health and wellbeing, on the NHS, on public transport, on the economy are the result of the continued burning of fossil fuels. Climate breakdown is here, it is deadly serious and it will get much worse unless we act urgently to end our reliance on oil and gas.

“The immediate focus should be ensuring that people are kept cool and safe through this period of record-breaking heat. But once it passes, politicians must get serious about stopping the causes of the crisis and about adapting to the increasingly extreme climate impacts that are already locked in due to our leaders’ inadequate action to date.

“Burning fossil fuels is the primary driver of climate breakdown so we must rapidly phase out North Sea oil and gas production, as part of a just transition to a renewable-powered economy with decent green jobs and affordable energy for all.

“The time for rhetorical climate leadership is long past – we need action not words and we need it now.”

Scottish Govt: caution advised in extreme heat

Amber weather warning resilience arrangements remain in place in Scotland today.

People are being asked to consider whether they need to travel and to plan ahead before making any journeys as Scotland copes with the impact of extreme heat.

Justice Secretary and lead minister for resilience Keith Brown has chaired a Scottish Government Resilience Committee meeting (SGoRR) to monitor the impacts of the Met Office Amber warning, while Transport Scotland’s resilience room is closely monitoring impacts across the transport network

The Amber warning has been extended further northeast and now includes Dundee, Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife, Perth, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and eastern parts of Lanarkshire as well as the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. The warning is currently in force and will last until 23.59 on Tuesday 19 July.

Mr Brown also attended the latest Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR) meeting.

He said: “Following the weather warnings, our resilience arrangements have been activated. We are receiving regular updates from partners including Transport Scotland, the Met Office, the NHS and emergency services and we’ll continue to closely monitor developments.

“I would urge people to think about whether they need to travel and if they do, make sure they’re properly equipped, and plan their journey in advance. Rail passengers and drivers should make sure they have water, sunscreen, hats and sunglasses and have a fully charged phone in case of any difficulties. Any drivers who face breakdowns should seek a safe, shady place, and stay hydrated.

“When temperatures increase, it’s important to monitor forecasts and follow public health advice, including staying hydrated and drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding excess alcohol. People should also look out for vulnerable family, friends and neighbours, as older people, those with underlying conditions and those living alone may struggle to keep cool and hydrated.

“Water safety incidents and drownings increase in hot weather and it’s vital that people are aware of the dangers and use supervised beaches and pools when possible – follow the Water Safety Code and in an emergency call 999. People should also be aware of the dangers of wildfires.”

TUC: Urgent heatwave warning to union reps and workers

With the Met Office issuing its first “Red Extreme” and “danger to life” heat warning for Monday (18) and Tuesday (19), and temperatures in some places reaching 40°C, the TUC is calling on bosses to make sure workers are protected from the sun and the heat.

Workers should be aware that employers have a duty of care, and a legal obligation to protect their health, ensuring working temperatures are reasonable, comfortable and safe.

These temperatures present a serious risk of sunstroke, heat stress and sunburn. Working in hot weather can also lead to dehydration, tiredness, muscle cramps, rashes, fainting, and – in the most extreme cases – loss of consciousness.

If a colleague becomes confused or agitated, loses consciousness, or is unable to drink, seek urgent medical attention.

Outdoor work

Employers must work with union health and safety reps to introduce measures to protect their staff who work outdoors when the temperatures rise, including:

  • Avoiding outside tasks between 11am – 3pm when temperatures, and risks, are highest.
  • Provide sunscreen and advice on the need for protection, available in other languages for migrant workers where relevant.
  • Allow staff to take plenty of breaks and provide a supply of drinking water.
  • Provide canopies or covering over open areas and shaded areas for breaks.
  • Provide lightweight protective clothing, including hats.

Driving

The heat can be dangerous for workers whose jobs involve driving, as any driver suffering from fatigue is a risk to themselves and other people. vehicles used for long journeys should be temporarily taken out of use if they cannot sustain a reasonable temperature, e.g. they do not have air conditioning.

Indoor work

Indoor workplaces could also become dangerously hot, and TUC advice is that nobody should be working indoors where temperatures exceed 30°C. At 24°C employers must take action to cool the air, and other measures including:

  • Using fans or other mechanisms to cool the air, as well as adequate ventilation.
  • Relaxing dress codes and uniform policies.
  • Allowing rest breaks and adjusting shifts to avoid travelling in peak heat.
  • Moving workspaces away from windows and other heat sources, using blinds to block out sun.
  • Providing cool drinking water.

Maximum temperatures

Employers must ensure working temperatures are “reasonable”. The TUC believes employers must take action when indoor temperatures exceed 24°C, with 30°C being an absolute maximum – certainly no longer “reasonable”.

Guidance elsewhere states:

  • In the US regulations say working temperatures should not go beyond 24°C
  • Spain has strict guidelines on working temperature: it must not go beyond 27°C indoors or 25°C for physical activity.
  • In Germany, 26°C is generally considered the maximum for indoor work.
  • In China, when temperatures reach 37°C outdoor work is banned during the hottest three hours of the day, and at 40°C it must stop altogether.
  • In the UAE, outdoor work is banned entirely between the hours of 12:30 and 15:00 when it’s hottest.

SPF is PPE

Personal Protective Equipment is defined as “all equipment which is intended to be worn or held by a person at work and which protects him against one or more risks to his health or safety, and any addition or accessory designed to meet that objective.”

Sunburn and complications resulting from UVA radiation are a known risk to health, and outdoor workers are already three times more likely to develop skin cancer than the general working population. Sunscreen creates a barrier between the worker and the risk, and as such should be considered personal protective equipment.

Employers should provide sunscreen with a factor of at least 30, made available free of charge to all workers whose work involves outdoor activities.

Excuses such as allergies should be dismissed. Workers can be allergic to any number of ingredients, fabrics or materials used in equipment, for example hand sanitsier.

Refusal by a worker to wear PPE on that basis is valid. Refusal by the employer to supply it to the wider workforce is not.

The right to refuse

Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 provides workers protection from detriment (i.e. dismissal, disciplinary or a pay cut) if they withdraw from and to refuse to return to a workplace that is unsafe.

Workers are entitled to remain away from the workplace if – in their opinion – the prevailing circumstances represent a real risk of “serious and imminent danger” which they could not be expected to avert.

The TUC says workers should seek advice from their union before using their rights under Section 44.

Scorching Scotland: extreme heat Amber warning extended

The Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) remains in operation as the Met Office Amber warning of extreme heat extends to more parts of Scotland this week.

The warning has been extended further northeast to Dundee.

This means that all of Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife, Perth, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and eastern parts of Lanarkshire are all now included in the warning, as well as the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.

The warning is valid from 00.00 on Monday 18 July to 23.59 on Tue 19 July. Red warnings are in place for other areas of the UK.

Justice Secretary Keith Brown, lead Minister for resilience, attended a Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR) meeting chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Mr Malthouse, on the extreme heat warning, on Saturday (16 July).  

Mr Brown said: “We are aware of the extension to the weather warnings currently in place and are receiving regular updates from partners including the Met Office and emergency services. Our resilience arrangements have been activated and stand ready at all times to coordinate a response to severe weather issues where required. We will continue to closely monitor developments.  

“When temperatures increase, it’s important to monitor forecasts and follow public health advice, including staying hydrated and drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding excess alcohol.

“I would also urge people to look out for vulnerable family, friends and neighbours, as older people, those with underlying conditions and those living alone may struggle to keep cool and hydrated.

“Water safety incidents and drownings increase in hot weather and people should be aware of the dangers and use supervised beaches and pools when possible – follow the Water Safety Code and in an emergency call 999.

“If you are planning on travelling to the areas covered by the Red warning, you should be prepared for significant disruption, and may want to consider delaying your travel. If you decide to travel, you should prepare appropriately, and keep-up to date with travel alerts.”

The Met Office warning covers Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife, Perth, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, and eastern parts of Lanarkshire as well as the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.

While these areas will see more extreme temperatures, it is important to note that there will be high temperatures across much of the country, especially up the east coast to the Moray Firth. 

The Met Office has warned that some people are likely to experience some adverse health effects including sunburn or heat exhaustion (dehydration, nausea, fatigue) and other heat related illnesses.

For guidance people should:

  • stay indoors or shaded when the sun is at its hottest (11am – 3pm)
  • drink plenty of cool fluids throughout the day
  • eat cold foods with high water content such as salads and fruit
  • take a cool shower, bath or body wash
  • sprinkle water over skin or clothing, or keep a damp cloth on the back of your neck
  • avoid alcohol – which can leave you dehydrated
  • avoid extreme physical exertion

If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion – headache, feeling confused or dizzy, rapid pulse or fast breathing, body cramps (particularly in the arms, legs and stomach), feeling sick or vomiting – they need to be shaded from the sun and cooled down. Heat exhaustion is not normally serious if the person is treated within 30 minutes and symptoms begin to improve.

Ensure that babies, children or older people are not left alone in stationary cars or other closed spaces. Animals should not be transported in extreme temperatures.

The Met Office is also warning of an increased risk of risk of wildfires and disruption to transport.

EDINBURGH

Today:

Hot and Sunny.

A few early mist patches across Dumfries and Galloway soon clearing to a fine day with very warm or hot sunshine and mainly light winds. Maximum temperature 30 °C.

Tonight:

A warm sunny start to the evening but increasing amounts of high cloud later. Mainly dry and very mild overnight with a mixture of high cloud and clear spells. Minimum temperature 19 °C.

Tomorrow (Tuesday):

Hot again with sunshine and periods of high cloud. This may allow for an isolated shower, though majority staying dry, sunny. Occasional gusty breeze by coasts. Chance of thunder overnight. Maximum temperature 34 °C.

Further information is available online:

Summer health | NHS inform

Scottish Government funding support to tackle hunger crisis in Africa

Grants totalling £250,000 are being given to two charities to assist people affected by the hunger crisis in Ethiopia and Somalia.

The region is facing its driest conditions in 40 years, with the impact on food supplies made worse by global grain supply disruption as a result of the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The funding comes from the Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF), with half going to Christian Aid for their work in Ethiopia, including providing children and pregnant and breastfeeding women with supplementary nutrition.

Islamic Relief is receiving the remaining funding for their project in Somalia, which is delivering emergency assistance for victims of the drought, as well as improving water access and hygiene in four Internally Displaced People camps in Beledweyne District, near the Ethiopian border.  

International Development Minister Neil Gray said: “The drought being experienced in the Horn of Africa is creating a desperate situation for people in the region that is being made worse by grain supply disruption caused by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.  

“We know that millions of people are facing historic drought conditions and a lack of essential food supplies and we stand ready to act in the face of such a pressing emergency.

“The Scottish Government is committed to fulfilling its role as a responsible and compassionate global citizen and this aid from our Humanitarian Emergency Fund will provide essential help to those in desperate need.”

Head of Christian Aid Scotland Sally Foster-Fulton said: “A prolonged drought and four failed rainy seasons means – yet again – crops cannot grow and this is having a devastating impact on the people of Ethiopia – in addition to the challenges of conflict, COVID-19 and rising food costs.

“Children and women are impacted the most, and many children are showing signs of malnourishment. We are grateful to the Scottish Government for supporting our work in South Omo, southern Ethiopia, where we will ensure the most vulnerable receive money to buy the food they need to survive.”

Nadeem Baqir, Scotland Regional Manager for Islamic Relief UK, said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s support for our work in Somalia which comes at a critical time and will help us to ensure more families get the food and hygiene kits they need.

“Somalia has been hit by failed rains for the fourth year in a row resulting in yet another devastating drought. This has exacerbated the growing hunger crisis alongside the impacts of COVID-19 and the increasing costs of food.

“Across the country, millions of people are in dire need of food assistance and clean water to ensure their survival. Families who have been displaced and are now living in camps do not have enough to eat and in some cases are having to share the little they receive as there just isn’t enough for everyone.”

Scotland announces Autumn/Winter COVID-19 booster programme

Additional doses will be given from September

A further booster vaccination will be offered to those at highest risk of severe COVID-19 disease from September, in line with other nations in the UK. 

Following final advice on the autumn/winter booster programme from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the following groups will be offered an additional dose in a community clinic:

  • residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults 
  • frontline health and social care workers
  • all adults aged 50 years and over
  • those aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group, including pregnant women  
  • those aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
  • carers aged 16-49 years

Where possible, these boosters will be given at the same time as the flu vaccination to those who are eligible.

As with previous campaigns, vaccinations will be offered first to frontline health and social care workers and those who are most vulnerable to the effects of the virus. Letters will be sent out to the first eligible groups next month with appointments beginning in September.

Discussions on the details of the delivery timetable are underway with health board partners and more information will be made available in due course.  However in the meantime, those eligible for a booster need not do anything. 

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The vaccination programme in Scotland continues to be a huge success and this is testament to the efforts of everyone involved in its delivery and all those who took up their appointment offers.  

“Vaccination has been our most effective tool against coronavirus. However, the degree of protection offered wanes over time.

“We know that those in high-priority groups are at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, and I therefore welcome this latest advice from the JCVI and can confirm that boosters will be offered to all those in eligible groups.

“The additional booster dose will improve your level of protection significantly and is the best way to protect yourself, your family and of course the NHS when we head into the busy winter months.

“I continue to encourage everyone to receive the doses they are eligible for as and when they become available.”

Amber warning for extreme heat in Scotland next week

A Scottish Government Resilience (SGoRR) meeting was held yesterday to prepare for the potential impacts of a Met Office Amber warning of extreme heat in Scotland next week.

The warning covers southern parts of Scotland from 00.00 on Monday 18 July to 23.59 on Tue 19 July. Red warnings are in place for other areas of the UK.

Justice Secretary Keith Brown, lead Minister for resilience, said: “We are aware of the weather warnings currently in place and are receiving regular updates from partners including the Met Office and emergency services.

“Our resilience arrangements have been activated and stand ready at all times to coordinate a response to severe weather issues where required. We will continue to closely monitor developments.  

“When temperatures increase, it’s important to monitor forecasts and follow public health advice, including staying hydrated and drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding excess alcohol.

“I would also urge people to look out for vulnerable family, friends and neighbours, as older people, those with underlying conditions and those living alone may struggle to keep cool and hydrated.

“Water safety incidents and drownings increase in hot weather and people should be aware of the dangers and use supervised beaches and pools when possible – follow the Water Safety Code and in an emergency call 999.”

The Met Office warning covers southern parts of Scotland including eastern parts of Dumfries and Galloway, much of the Scottish Borders and parts of East Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and Midlothian.

While these areas will see more extreme temperatures, it is important to note that there will be high temperatures across much of the country, especially up the east coast to the Moray Firth. 

The Met Office has warned that some people are likely to experience some adverse health effects including sunburn or heat exhaustion (dehydration, nausea, fatigue) and other heat related illnesses.

For guidance, people should:

  • stay indoors or shaded when the sun is at its hottest (11am – 3pm)
  • drink plenty of cool fluids throughout the day
  • eat cold foods with high water content such as salads and fruit
  • take a cool shower, bath or body wash
  • sprinkle water over skin or clothing, or keep a damp cloth on the back of your neck
  • avoid alcohol – which can leave you dehydrated
  • avoid extreme physical exertion

If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion – headache, feeling confused or dizzy, rapid pulse or fast breathing, body cramps (particularly in the arms, legs and stomach), feeling sick or vomiting – they need to be shaded from the sun and cooled down. Heat exhaustion is not normally serious if the person is treated within 30 minutes and symptoms begin to improve.

Ensure that babies, children or older people are not left alone in stationary cars or other closed spaces. Animals should not be transported in extreme temperatures.

The Met Office is also warning of an increased risk of risk of wildfires and disruption to transport.

Summer health | NHS inform

Keep yourself safe in hot weather (ready.scot)

UK weather warnings – Met Office

Water Safety Code

When to phone 111 | NHS 24

Just Transition: Government must act on decarbonisation recommendations

Trade unions and environmental organisations are calling on the Scottish Government to show real commitment to fairly cutting climate pollution throughout the economy and to embrace the recommendations of the new Just Transition Commission’s first report published today.

The Just Transition Partnership, an initiative set up by Scottish Trades Union Congress and Friends of Earth Scotland in 2016, had called on the Scottish Government to set up the Commission.

The Partnership praised the first report of the new Just Transition Commission for its sharp focus on closing the investment gap, delivering a better deal for workers, tackling inequalities at every level and the need for a global just transition.

The report also calls for:

 + targeted investment in public transport, expanding rail networks, making services affordable and improving provision in remote and rural areas, rejecting Scottish Government proposals for cuts to the railway;

 + urgently tackling fuel poverty and “affordable clean energy [to be made] be available to all…addressing pricing barriers for renewable sources and reducing energy consumption through increased efficiency”;

 + the new National Care Service to be placed “firmly within the public sphere, with a robust public investment plan and a human rights delivery approach at the local, regional and national level”;

 + a new approach to industrial planning to address the “challenges of large-scale decarbonisation, the cost-of-living emergency and the climate emergency [and which] demand a whole system transformation”;

 + prioritising a ‘do no harm’ approach overseas, recognising that Scotland’s “position as an advanced economy was gained through the historic exploitation of fossil fuels, and indeed the natural resources of formerly colonised regions”.

STUC Deputy General Secretary Dave Moxham said: “We have long argued for a coherent low-carbon industrial strategy that creates decent unionised jobs through significant public investment and places the voice of workers at its core via trade union involvement at national and workplace level.

“This report lays out some of the important steps that the Scottish Government should take to achieve a Just Transition in areas such as energy, buildings and transport to ensure that workers and their communities are not left behind.

“The National Care Service recommendations are welcome. As with energy, we believe public ownership is best for tackling the climate and cost of living emergencies. Taking care services away from local government damages local delivery and accountability.”

Friends of Earth Scotland Head of Campaigns Mary Church said: “From investing in and expanding public transport to making clean energy available and affordable to all, this report outlines a series of clear recommendations for a transformative programme of climate action that can serve people and the planet.

“It also highlights the need for contingency plans where negative emissions technologies are relied on, a timely echo of repeated warnings on this front with the Scottish Government’s recent admission that these technologies won’t deliver for 2030.

“It’s hugely welcome that the report calls for an approach to just transition that does no harm overseas, particularly in the global south, and the duty on Scotland as a rich,  historical polluter in creating an enabling environment for a global just transition through climate finance, knowledge and resource sharing.

“The Scottish Government must now take rapid action to deliver on these recommendations to plug the gaping hole in its climate plan and ensure we can hit climate targets, tackle the energy price crisis while creating new opportunities for workers and communities across the country, and paying our climate debt to the global South.”

Ministers will have an opportunity to show their commitment to a Just Transition by incorporating the report’s recommendations in the draft revised Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan which is scheduled for consultation in Autumn and in the forthcoming Climate Change Plan, expected in spring 2023.

making-future-initial-report-2nd-transition-commissionDownload

Mental Health staffing boost

More than 950 additional frontline workers recruited

A commitment to recruit an additional 800 mental health staff to frontline roles across Scotland has been exceeded. 

Figures published yesterday show that 958 whole time equivalent mental health workers have been recruited for deployment to hospitals, GP practices, police station custody suites and prisons. This exceeds the target of 800 set in the Scottish Government’s Mental Health Strategy 2017-27.

The staff will ensure people have access to appropriate mental health care in a variety of settings, recognising the life-changing benefits of fast, effective treatment.

Mental Wellbeing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Improving mental health is a priority for the Scottish Government and these figures show how seriously we are taking this. I am pleased that we have exceeded our commitment and recruited almost 1,000 additional mental health professionals across these key settings.

“Mental illness is one of the major public health challenges in Scotland. Around one-in-three people are estimated to be affected by mental illness in any one year. We want a Scotland where we act on the knowledge that failing to recognise, prioritise and treat mental health problems costs not only our economy, but also harms individuals and communities.

“We have allocated nearly £84 million to enable recruitment to these posts and this has been achieved in spite of the unprecedented impacts of the pandemic on our health and social care services.”

Scottish Government: Almost £3billion to help households with rising prices

Family benefits, free school meals and concessionary travel are part of support helping households to mitigate the increased cost of living.

Funding for 2022-23 includes:

  • £294.4 million for Scottish Child Payment and other family benefits, including Best Start Grants, Best Start Foods and Bridging Payments
  • £64 million for universal provision of free school meals during term time for children in p4 and p5 and alternative holiday provision for eligible children
  • £306 million for concessionary travel
  • £437 million to help with household bills via Council Tax Reduction and Water Charge Reduction

Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: “Within our limited budget, we have allocated almost £3 billion in this financial year to help families and households face the increased cost of living. This includes support for energy bills, childcare, health and travel, as well as social security payments not available anywhere else in the UK.

“We are increasing our Scottish Child Payment to £25 per child per week when we extend it to under 16s by the end of 2022. This will mean a 150% increase in less than a year and around 400,000 children eligible for this vital anti-poverty benefit.

“Westminster holds most of the powers needed to tackle the cost of living crisis as well as borrowing and resourcing powers we do not currently have. This includes energy, the minimum wage, National Insurance and 85% of social security spending.

“The UK Government’s decade of austerity and welfare reforms have placed people in a particularly precarious position. That is why we have continually urged them to use all the powers and fiscal headroom at their disposal to put together a comprehensive action plan to address the long term impacts of rising prices and provide immediate support to struggling households.

“In the meantime we will continue to use our limited budget and constrained powers to work for people and help cushion the impact of UK Government policies.”

Ukraine: Three month pause for Scotland’s Super Sponsor scheme

Closing from Wednesday ‘ensuring support can continue after large increase of new applications’

A three-month pause on new visa applications for displaced Ukrainians to come to Scotland will be in place from 9:00 am on Wednesday 13 July.

The pause on new applications will not affect anyone who has already made an application or had their visa granted.

With visa applications listing the Scottish Government as sponsor up 21% on the previous week as of 5 July, visas issued up 27%, and arrivals under the super sponsor scheme up 20%, a temporary suspension is needed to ensure safe accommodation can continue to be provided to those who have already applied and may now travel to Scotland.

A total of 21,256 visas have been issued naming a Scottish sponsor – more than 20% of the UK total, and the highest number per head of population in the UK. Scotland is currently providing sanctuary for over 7,000 people, two-thirds of whom applied under the Scottish super sponsor scheme.

This exceeds the 3,000 the Scottish Government committed to welcome when the scheme launched in March, to provide a rapid route to safety for those fleeing the crisis caused by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

In addition to the pause, the following actions are being taken:                                   

  • the chartering of a passenger vessel the M/S Victoria, which will be docked in Leith in Edinburgh to provide an additional 739 rooms where people can be temporarily accommodated
  • the refurbishment of 200 unused council properties in North Lanarkshire to provide more longer-term accommodation, supported by £5 million of Scottish Government funding
  • additional staff will be deployed in ‘surge teams’ to assist local authorities matching those in temporary premises to suitable longer-term accommodation
  • the Wheatley Housing Group, Scotland’s largest social landlord, has pledged to make 300 homes available to local authorities across Scotland to house displaced people from Ukraine
  • Minister with Special Responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine, Neil Gray will also meet today with Lord Harrington, UK Minister for Refugees, to seek clarity on existing funding arrangements for the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme and, given the very high demand experienced by the Welsh and Scottish Government schemes, ask whether the UK Government will consider introducing its own super sponsor arrangements

Mr Gray said: “As a nation Scotland has risen in solidarity with Ukrainians in their hour of need. I am proud that thanks in large part to our super sponsor scheme, we are now providing safe accommodation to the most Ukrainians per head of population in the UK.

“We have been able to ensure thousands of people displaced by Russia’s horrific and illegal war were able to travel immediately and receive support and a place to stay without the need to be matched with a private host first.

“Our absolute priority has been to respond quickly to support those forced to flee their homeland and I thank all local authorities, third sector organisations, the private sector and the public, who have all mobilised in a major effort to help – together we have coordinated accommodation and delivered essential services at a large scale and in a very short space of time. 

“With a recent decrease in people applying for private sponsorship in England, and Wales having paused their own scheme, the number of applications naming the Scottish Government as sponsor has increased considerably in recent weeks. For this reason we have taken the incredibly difficult decision to follow Wales in pausing our scheme so we can continue to provide a high level of support and care to everyone who has already been granted a visa.

“We will review our position in three months, but of course if circumstances change during that time we will bring that date forward. In the meantime we are taking significant action to increase the capacity of our temporary accommodation and are also boosting our matching system to maximise the number of displaced people placed with volunteer hosts who have completed the necessary safeguarding checks.”

Responding to the news, Labour MSP Foysul Choudhury said: “I have been warning the Scottish Government for months that while they congratulated themselves for welcoming thousands of new refugees, hundreds of Afghan and Syrian refugees had been stuck in hotels and other temporary accommodation for years on end with seemingly no plan to tackle this accommodation shortage.

“Now we finally have the admission that the Scottish Government cannot house many of the refugees who have arrived, to the point where they are suspending the Super Sponsor Scheme and chartering a ship to hold refugees instead.

“I cannot overemphasise the disruption that this will cause to the lives of refugees who have arrived in Scotland seeking sanctuary. Being stuck in temporary accommodation means that people are unable to put down roots and begin to rebuild their lives, because they never know when they might be moved on and forced to start again. It is safety without security.

“I have spoken to many refugees from Syria and Afghanistan who have now been stuck in hotels for several years, often accommodation that is unfit for the family they have with them. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, I have urged the Scottish Government to learn the lessons from the experiences of these previous waves of refugees. That they have failed to do at best demonstrates their unrealistic expectations and at worst represents negligence.

“The Scottish Government must ensure that its plans to charter a ship to hold refugees are truly only temporary, and that conditions aboard are sanitary and fit for purpose in the meantime. We cannot afford to end up in a situation where people are still stuck on the ship as many years later as the previous waves of refugees have now been stuck in hotels.”