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Motion · S6M-10465 · 14 Sep 2023

Linda Norgrove Foundation's Campaign to Bring Afghan Female Medical Students to Scotland

Lodged by Dr Alasdair Allan Standard Motion 27 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament commends the work of the Linda Norgrove Foundation, a charitable organisation, based in the Western Isles, which is committed to supporting women’s education in Afghanistan; notes the efforts of the foundation over the past two years to help bring 20 female Afghan medical students to Scotland to complete their studies, some of whom, it understands, were only a number of weeks away from graduation when women’s attendance at universities throughout the country was banned by the Taliban; understands that all five of Scotland’s medical schools have agreed to provide places for the young women to continue their medical studies; welcomes the Scottish Government’s commitment to supporting the students by providing home fee status and associated living cost support; calls on the UK Government to immediately open the next phase of Pathway 3 of its Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), which it understands was originally expected to open in January 2023 and would allow the 20 students in question to apply for and receive the necessary status; notes with concern reports that, despite a commitment to processing up to 20,000 applications over three years through the ACRS scheme, the Home Office has only processed 107 applications over the last 12 months, and urges the UK Government to honour its resettlement scheme commitments and to work constructively with the Linda Norgrove Foundation, and the Scottish Government, to allow what it sees as these courageous medical students the opportunity to complete their degrees and contribute to the NHS.

Supporters (27)

Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.