MSP rails against ‘calamitous’ housing of Ukrainian refugees

Beatrice Wishart Photo: Liberal Democrats.

Isles MSP Beatrice Wishart has criticised the Scottish government’s housing of Ukrainian refugees as “a calamity”.

Ms Wishart said her constituents were frustrated with the speed in which the processing of accommodation was taking, and said refugee children needed to be enrolled in school as soon as possible with a new term looming.

The first group of refugees from Ukraine arrived on Wednesday on a cruise ship, which is docked in Leith.

Ms Wishart said: “People across Shetland have offered their own homes and available accommodation with kindness and love.

“Constituents have told me that since they signed up at the start of the sponsor programme they have had the necessary local checks but have heard nothing further from official channels.

“I can only imagine the deep frustration of refugees who are having to await their fate and possibly face the prospect of living on a cruise ship in Leith harbour.”

She urged the government to scale up its response to the refugee sponsorship programme in order to speed up the process.