The UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme has been branded “unacceptable” and “inadequate” after it emerged just 570 visas relating to Scottish sponsors have been issued.
Data published on Friday showed that 43,600 applications have been made by Ukrainians seeking safety from the ongoing war in their home country.
Of those, the Home Office has issued 570 visas for refugees to stay in Scotland – and just 40 were under Scotland’s “super sponsor” arrangements.
Neil Gray, the Scottish Government’s minister with special responsibility for refugees and Ukraine, said the situation was “simply unacceptable” and reflected the UK Government’s delay in processing applications.
The slow progress is not just deeply frustrating to the Scottish Government but also to the many thousands of generous and kind volunteers who are ready to offer a warm Scots welcome to Ukrainians
Mr Gray said: “Scotland stands ready to provide immediate safety and sanctuary to Ukrainians displaced as a result of this illegal war, but these latest figures lay bare the glacial pace at which the UK Government is moving to approve visas.
“To grant just 40 visas through the Scottish super sponsor route – a tiny fraction of those Ukrainians who have applied under the scheme – is simply unacceptable, and is wholly inadequate in providing immediate help to displaced people from Ukraine in need of safety.
“The slow progress is not just deeply frustrating to the Scottish Government but also to the many thousands of generous and kind volunteers who are ready to offer a warm Scots welcome to Ukrainians.
“The Scottish Government has long expressed concerns the UK Government’s approach would be too slow, which is why we offered to act as ‘super sponsor’, removing the need for applicants to be matched prior to travelling to the UK.
“We continue to strongly press the UK Government to do all it can to urgently and significantly speed up their approval processes.”
A UK Government spokesperson said: “In response to Putin’s barbaric invasion we have launched one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history.
“In just four weeks, over 40,000 visas have been issued so people can rebuild their lives in the UK through the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine.
“We are continuing to speed up visa processing across both schemes, including boosting caseworkers and simplifying the forms and we expect thousands more to come through these uncapped routes.”
It comes as the Home Secretary apologised on Friday after coming under fire over delays in the time it is taking for Ukrainian refugees to arrive in the UK.
Priti Patel denied visa requirements and checks are slowing the process and causing delays, insisting the UK will “absolutely see changes in numbers” as work continues.
In a pre-recorded interview with the BBC, Ms Patel said: “I apologise with frustration myself… it takes time to start up a new route.”
