4. Statement by the Minister for Social Justice: Update on Ukraine

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:33 pm on 3 May 2022.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 3:33, 3 May 2022

Diolch yn fawr, Sioned. This is one of the points about meeting together, which we have done regularly over the last few weeks, myself and the Minister for Refugees, Lord Harrington, and Neil Gray, MSP, the Minister in the Scottish Government, because both myself and the Scottish Government Minister are in common cause here in saying, which we actually said right from the word go, that, actually the supersponsor route, which means that, with our commitment in Wales to support 1,000 people, skipping the need to identify individual sponsors, being sponsored directly by the Welsh Government, or the Scottish Government—.

In Scotland they're experiencing the same delays, even though they've got even more who are actually applying; they've got more numbers applying to go through their supersponsor route in terms of population proportion. That's right, but they're still having the delays that we're having. But also saying that, actually, this can really address the issue around safeguarding, because, for example, in terms of the family scheme, last week I said to the Home Office and to the Minister, 'Can you tell us how many and where the families are who've come through the family route?' They can't tell us. They do not have that information. They cannot tell us how many Ukrainian refugees have come through the family route, and there is no funding available whatsoever for families, and, actually, of course, as I said in my statistics, more have come through the family route than any other route. They got their visas first, they came through. No funding, no information, no data given to us. They can't give it, even if—. I've asked them for it. So, there are huge inadequacies in the way in which the UK Government has approached the refugee crisis.

And as I said earlier on, in the response to Mark Isherwood, if you look at the—. And here there have been some programmes, there's been press, there have been families commenting. The wonderful relationships and solidarity and support that, actually, I think we've heard about from those who've come and met Welsh families, they've met their sponsor—. So, we must recognise that there are great strengths where that works with the Homes for Ukraine arrangements. But I noticed a refugee who'd declined to come to the UK. Everything happened so quickly in Germany. It makes it very easy for Ukrainians to get benefits, get work, get support. Why aren't we in that position?

So, I have mentioned in my statement today, for the first time, a comparison with the arrangements we had, which the UK Government supported, with the Afghanistan evacuation last August, where we knew who was coming and we were able to support them. So, we continue to press on that point, because I think safeguarding is crucial. And if I can say today, if we can get that message out that it is dangerous to even contemplate or share on social media, through Facebook, any opportunities for new arrangements to take place—because it has actually led to sexual exploitation. This is what we're raising. So, I've said it's not just delays; it's delays, safeguarding and funding, which is what we press every week with the UK Government, because there are people who, in Wales, are desperate to welcome their families. We saw one last night on the BBC Wales programme. And they're desperate to come here, they're stuck, they're running out of money and we will do everything that we can to get them here and to support them.