To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what it is doing to support people seeking asylum in Scotland. (S6O-03897)

The Scottish Government continues to deliver a range of interventions to support people seeking asylum who live in Scotland. Working with partners, we have reaffirmed our approach of supporting integration from day 1 in the third new Scots refugee integration strategy delivery plan.

Many of the essential services that support people seeking asylum are devolved and are delivered inclusively for everyone who lives in Scotland, as far as that is possible within United Kingdom immigration legislation and rules. This year, we are providing £3.6 million of grant funding to the Scottish Refugee Council for a comprehensive nationwide refugee support service.

There was dismay and frustration when, a few months ago, the Government abruptly abandoned its commitment to provide free bus travel for people who are seeking asylum. Asylum organisations and MSPs on a cross-party basis have been campaigning on the matter for three years now. I was pleased to hear the Government reaffirm its commitment to implementing free bus travel for asylum seekers in the chamber last month, but we now need clear actions. Can the cabinet secretary confirm that the policy will be delivered by the end of the current session of Parliament? If so, will she set out a clear timeline for the next steps and say which implementation options are being considered?

It is estimated that a third of the people living in Scotland who are seeking asylum may already be eligible for free bus travel through the national concessionary travel schemes on the basis of age or disability, because those schemes are delivered inclusively. We are committed to exploring whether we can extend free bus travel to all people who are seeking asylum before the end of the current parliamentary session, subject to the successful passage of a Scottish budget that contains the issue and an agreed way forward in terms of practical delivery. I call on Paul Sweeney to urge members on his benches to support that budget in order for that to take place.

People who are seeking asylum are facing impossible choices every day—I know that the minister knows that—and provision of the bus pass would represent a small but important freedom. How will the minister build confidence with the community that it is now going to happen? For the past three years, we have had a cycle of hope, with a promise from the Government and then a commitment, only for it to be dropped. As the minister knows, the community is desperate and it has no faith that this is going to happen. How will she restore faith?

I understand Mark Ruskell’s frustration and I am on the record as sharing that. This is not a position that the Government wanted to be in. We have had a very challenging fiscal climate and we have had to make incredibly difficult decisions in order to deliver balanced and sustainable spending plans for the financial year 2024-25. At that time, it was unaffordable to progress the piloting of free bus travel for all people who are seeking asylum in Scotland. I took responsibility by making that announcement in person.

I refer the member to my previous answer regarding the forthcoming budget.

Humza Yousaf joins us remotely.