Immigrants suffering from myths

A MAJOR "myth-busting" campaign is needed to tackle misinformation about migrants and highlight the economic and social benefits they bring to Scotland, MSPs have said.

Tory MSP Margaret Mitchell, convener of the Scottish Parliament's equal opportunities committee, said its inquiry found migrants' demands on public services are not as high as many people believe.

He said: "Evidence also suggests that migrants pay more in taxes than they receive in benefits or public services and that, contrary to public perception, they predominantly live in private rented homes rather than social housing.

"The inquiry revealed a lack of awareness about migrants and their reasons for coming to Scotland and that this has helped to fuel negativity towards them.

"The committee heard terms such as 'bogus asylum seeker' and 'illegal immigrant' are often used as generic terms by the public to describe all migrants who may have come here for a variety of reasons including to work or study."