I completely agree that the ability to speak English is very important for refugees to rebuild their lives and integrate into the local community. This is why, as soon as adults are granted refugee status or humanitarian protection, they become eligible for skills funding, including for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.
In Scotland, education is a devolved issue, and so the provision of ESOL courses to refugees here is a matter for the Scottish Parliament and Government. What I can say, however, is that the UK Government is committed to helping refugees learn the English language. I am encouraged, for example, that in 2015/16 the UK Government drew over £90 million from the Adult Education Budget for England to support all types of ESOL funding.
The UK Government is also using the foreign aid budget to help refugees settle in the UK and deal with issues that might affect a refugee’s access to ESOL courses – housing, for instance.