To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address problems faced by asylum seekers in Scotland.
We have announced a number of significant developments in relation to asylum and refugee issues.
Scotland is to have its own minister with responsibility for all devolved aspects of asylum issues. These include health, education, social work and police matters as they relate to asylum seekers.
We made an announcement on 19 September about Social Inclusion Partnership involvement. The Glasgow Alliance will receive an extra £700,000 to develop projects in areas such as Sighthill and Barmulloch that will tackle community integration and improve local services.
These projects will benefit both the established and the new asylum seeker population in Sighthill.
We also announced on 20 September extra money to improve access to further education for basic English language classes. We announced new funding of £1.7 million in the current financial year, including £0.5 million to boost college provision specifically for asylum seekers.An "anti-bullying in Schools" newsletter will be available in October.
The research study into the effects of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 in Scotland is about to start.
We are establishing the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum, which I will lead.
We are establishing a unit within the Executive, whose sole task will be to deal with asylum seekers and with refugee integration issues: it will support ministers on the forum.
This will provide a sound basis for the further consideration of asylum and refugee issues in Scotland.