Scotland's First Minister, Humza Yousaf, has announced that free bus travel will be provided to people seeking asylum in the country. A £2 million budget has been allocated for this initiative in the next fiscal year.
The Scottish Greens, who advocated for this move as part of their power-sharing arrangement with the SNP government, have praised it as potentially "life-saving."
The program aims to address issues of isolation among asylum seekers, enabling them to access essential services like medical appointments, legal assistance, language lessons, and community projects more easily.
In the UK, asylum seekers are not allowed to work and receive limited financial support from the Home Office, making free bus travel a significant support measure. The scheme's implementation will involve discussions with the Home Office.