John Swinney is facing a new defeat in Holyrood today following his minority government's loss of two parliamentary votes last month.

MSPs will this afternoon debate a motion tabled by Scottish Greens calling for the SNP administration to extend free bus travel for asylum seekers.

It is expected to be supported by Labour and the Lib Dems.

The Greens are hopeful the Conservatives may also support the motion which would likely mean a defeat for the government.

Ahead of the debate today the Church of Scotland urged the Scottish Government to restore a commitment to free bus travel for asylum seekers.

READ MORE:

Former First Minister Humza Yousaf announced last year his administration would hold a £2million nationwide concessionary pilot for the scheme for asylum seekers who cannot work under UK immigration rules.

However, ministers scrapped the plans in August blaming "very difficult decisions to deliver balanced and sustainable spending plans".

The Scottish Greens, who had pushed for the plans as part of the power-sharing Bute House agreement, which collapsed in April, called the announcement a "shameful U-turn and a disgraceful decision".

Speaking ahead of the debate Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman, who has tabled today's non binding motion, said campaigners had pushed for free bus travel to help prevent isolation among people in the asylum system, allowing them to more easily attend GPs, solicitors, language lessons and volunteering projects.

Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman (Image: Stewart Attwood) She appealed for the government to change its mind warning abandoning the proposal would lead to more pressure on the NHS and mental health services as asylum seekers could end up not going to see a GP  when they needed help.

Pointing to financial support the Scottish Government had given businesses, Ms Chapman said supporting asylum seekers should be a priority for a government that wanted to be regarded as caring and committed to human rights.

It was reported earlier this year that three companies based in Scotland supplying arms to Israel since its bombing campaign on Gaza had been given grants by Scottish Enterprise.

"None of us is trying to deny the financial situation, but this is where we choose to spend the restricted finances we have. If we are talking about human rights, if we are talking about community integration and cohesion, these are the things that should be towards the top of the priority list rather than subsidies to big business and multi-national corporations," Ms Chapman told The Herald.

"When there are human beings who need the very basics to survive, that should be the priority...Asylum seekers are among the most marginalised people in the country, are we saying we don't want to see them supported? That's not a country most Scots would want to live in."

She added: "To me free bus travel for asylum seekers comes down to the promise that was made by the government and the relief communities expressed then. This is a betrayal of trust. The Scottish Government want Scotland to be a caring nation, a fair and equitable nation - well do it then, this is what matters."

Her motion states: "That the Parliament believes that the Scottish Government should extend free bus travel to people seeking asylum as soon as possible and at least before the end of the current parliamentary session."

The equalities, human rights and civil justice committee heard evidence on proposals to improve the asylum system in Scotland last year.

As a result, MSPs on the committee urged Holyrood to sanction concessionary bus travel for asylum seekers.

People in the asylum system are unable to work under UK employment law. Westminster provides £49.18 per week for people in uncatered accommodation, while those in hotels get £8.86 per week.

People said they were often forced to choose between eating or taking medicine due to the limited money.

Immigration and employment law is reserved to Westminster but the equalities committee had called on local authorities and the Scottish government to use "the full extent of their powers".

Mr Yousaf's commitment to the scheme followed a long campaign by refugee-rights organisations and a pilot programme in Glasgow in 2023.

However, Finance Secretary Shona Robison warned in August that spending cuts were unavoidable, and ministers were ordered to "constrain all but essential" spending to help pay for public sector pay deals.

Mr Swinney's government last month suffered a double defeat in Holyrood over plans not to extend free school meals to Primary 6 and 7 pupils and to reintroduce peak rail fares.

Those motions were brought by the Scottish Tories who urged the First Minister to rethink the policies – confirmed the previous week in an attempt to free up around £500 million.

Only the SNP’s 62 MSPs backed the Scottish Government’s amendments which highlighted the financial constraints facing the country.

The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) has told ministers they have been “shamed” by the result in Holyrood.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth was forced to admit her government did not disagree with the Scottish Tory motion calling for all primary school pupils to receive the free school meals during this parliamentary term.

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: "We are having to make very difficult decisions to deliver balanced and sustainable spending plans for the 2024-25 financial year.

“People seeking asylum in Scotland who are currently eligible for free bus travel through the National Concessionary Travel Schemes, including those under 22 and over 60 years of age and those with disabilities, will continue to be able to make use of their entitlement.

 “We remain committed to supporting people seeking asylum, refugees and communities through the New Scots refugee integration strategy approach. We want to work collaboratively with the UK Government to contribute ideas that build on shared priorities and where possible provide evidence of impacts and needs. By working together and sharing learning, there is great potential for tangible improvements to be made for refugees and people seeking asylum living in the UK.”