:00:14. > :00:21.The next item of business as portfolio questions. Number one,
:00:22. > :00:26.Rose Thompson. Thank you. To as the Scottish Government Harry agrees it
:00:27. > :00:33.estimate of ?150 million annual cost for the new Social Security agency.
:00:34. > :00:35.Presiding Officer, the executive summary of the outline business case
:00:36. > :00:40.for this Social Security agency Scotland which was published on the
:00:41. > :00:45.Scottish Government website on the 27th of April 2017 contains if real
:00:46. > :00:53.explanation. Further detail is also contained in the main document and
:00:54. > :00:58.chapters two, five and nine. And I forgot to say the usual mantra,
:00:59. > :01:03.short questions, short answers, though I except that that was
:01:04. > :01:06.required. I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that answer. I know
:01:07. > :01:10.that the Cabinet Secretary Finance committee conceded that the cost of
:01:11. > :01:15.delivery of the benefits will be greater than the present cost. When
:01:16. > :01:23.quizzed by my colleague Alness, Mr Mackay was unable to elaborate on
:01:24. > :01:25.these cars. Can the Cabinet secretary explained where the
:01:26. > :01:31.Scottish Government has quantified this cost and exactly what it will
:01:32. > :01:34.be? The Cabinet Secretary for refiners conceded no such thing, but
:01:35. > :01:39.of course it is on the official record what he did or did not say to
:01:40. > :01:46.the Finance committee. Can I point out that the agency running cost
:01:47. > :01:53.will be around 5% of what we spend on benefits, and the combinable
:01:54. > :01:59.figure for DWP is Ashley 6.3%. The running costs estimates from a cost
:02:00. > :02:04.using activity base and information from the Department of work
:02:05. > :02:07.impressions, and a minister in her statement not that long ago said
:02:08. > :02:14.that these figures would be further refined in terms of the more nuanced
:02:15. > :02:21.details signs of the system. And of course, the location of the agency,
:02:22. > :02:25.but I think of running cost, at estimated at around 5%, that shows
:02:26. > :02:28.that our figures are credible, they are compatible with the UK
:02:29. > :02:34.Government, and they are value for money. To assess Scottish Government
:02:35. > :02:40.plan has two the guidance on what constitutes a danger this building.
:02:41. > :02:44.Thank you. This got is Government does not provide guidance on what
:02:45. > :02:49.constitutes a danger this building. Local authorities are responsible
:02:50. > :02:50.and the building Scotland act, 2003, to deal with buildings that they
:02:51. > :03:01.consider to be dangerous. They also have powers to deal with
:03:02. > :03:08.buildings they considered effective. Has the Scottish Government made
:03:09. > :03:15.consideration for buildings that need security monitoring to keep
:03:16. > :03:21.children out? I do not feel... We have got your question, thank you.
:03:22. > :03:27.As I said, it is up to local authorities themselves to decide
:03:28. > :03:32.whether a building is dangerous or defective and to take the necessary
:03:33. > :03:39.actions they feel they need to take with the legislation in place to do
:03:40. > :03:42.so. Question three. Thank you. To ask the Scottish Government how it
:03:43. > :03:50.will encourage the uptake of all the devolved benefits to which people
:03:51. > :03:54.might be entitled. Social Security is a human right and we are
:03:55. > :03:58.determined to support everyone to claim the benefits to which they are
:03:59. > :04:04.entitled. There are a range of reasons why people do not claim such
:04:05. > :04:08.support and it is disappointing UK Government has not taken action to
:04:09. > :04:13.improve take-up, making sure everyone receives financial support
:04:14. > :04:17.is one of the first steps to putting dignity and respect at the heart of
:04:18. > :04:23.Social Security in Scotland. We have made a clear commitment to do all we
:04:24. > :04:27.can to maximise family income. Over the course of this parliamentary
:04:28. > :04:30.term, we will deliver a programme of activity to increase uptake of
:04:31. > :04:37.Social Security by encouraging people to exercise their rights and
:04:38. > :04:41.claim the benefits they are due. What assessment has the Government
:04:42. > :04:48.made of the effectiveness...? I beg your pardon. Quite right. Frowning
:04:49. > :04:55.at me. Alison Johnson. I am out of practice! Thank you. I thank the
:04:56. > :04:57.Cabinet Secretary for her response. Today the Scottish Parliament
:04:58. > :05:02.becomes responsible for a range of benefits including carers allowance
:05:03. > :05:07.and many of the benefits have complicated interactions with one
:05:08. > :05:11.another, making it more difficult for people to understand their
:05:12. > :05:16.entitlement. When someone... Let us have a question. What work is under
:05:17. > :05:21.way to review how the benefits being devolved interact and what steps are
:05:22. > :05:30.being taken to make this complicated system easier to not navigate? --
:05:31. > :05:34.easier to navigate? It is complex and therefore a very important point
:05:35. > :05:39.for the Scottish Government to help people navigate their way through
:05:40. > :05:47.the laxity is to ensure the agency has the duty to maximise income is
:05:48. > :05:52.-- the complexity. It will help us know and evaluate what works in
:05:53. > :05:56.terms of encouraging people to take up the benefits they are entitled
:05:57. > :06:02.to, whether they are reserve benefits or devolved. As I say in my
:06:03. > :06:06.closing remarks to yesterday's debate, we will have a Round Table
:06:07. > :06:14.with our partners and local government, ensuring the work we do
:06:15. > :06:21.in this parliamentary term is consistent and broadbrush and
:06:22. > :06:25.targeted to people who need advice. Yesterday I was confused with
:06:26. > :06:37.someone else and today Alison Johnson. Probably progress! What has
:06:38. > :06:45.the assessment been of the week-long campaign to highlight support? It is
:06:46. > :06:48.a fair point. The campaign in March was just phase one, broadbrush
:06:49. > :06:52.campaign to support the general take-up of benefits, the press
:06:53. > :06:57.activity had the potential to reach over 1 million people, the radio
:06:58. > :07:03.activity had the potential also to reach 1.3 million people. And we
:07:04. > :07:07.know from the Citizens Advice Bureau that they have had an increase in
:07:08. > :07:13.inquiries and website activity. In terms of the more detailed nuanced
:07:14. > :07:19.analysis of the impact, that work is still going on. Can the Cabinet
:07:20. > :07:23.Secretary tell us the value of the unclaimed devolved benefits that the
:07:24. > :07:28.UK Government has failed to encourage the take-up of? It is
:07:29. > :07:34.quite difficult to get accurate information in relation to benefits
:07:35. > :07:41.that will be devolved but what we know over the piece and terms of
:07:42. > :07:47.benefits and child tax benefits in particular, there are more than half
:07:48. > :07:54.a million individuals and families who are not claiming what they are
:07:55. > :07:57.entitled to. That gives an onus on the Scottish garment to do more but
:07:58. > :08:03.it begs big westerns about what the UK Government is doing to increase
:08:04. > :08:06.uptake -- that gives an onus on the Scottish Government to do more but
:08:07. > :08:12.it begs big questions about what the UK Government is doing to increase
:08:13. > :08:17.uptake. What assessment has been made of the impact that an increased
:08:18. > :08:23.carers allowance would have on disability poverty? Thank you. The
:08:24. > :08:27.aim of the increased carers allowance is to recognise the vital
:08:28. > :08:32.contributions carers make to society. We are assessing the impact
:08:33. > :08:36.currently of the policy on other groups along with other policies
:08:37. > :08:42.including disabled people through the equality impact assessments. I
:08:43. > :08:47.thank the Minister. Now that both the powers to top up and make
:08:48. > :08:52.changes have been devolved and ends in this Chamber, we have the powers
:08:53. > :08:56.to legislate and improve the lives of carers across Scotland. I am a
:08:57. > :09:04.cocoa bean of the cross-party group for carers. I want a question.
:09:05. > :09:09.Before we get to carers week... I want a question. Can the Minister
:09:10. > :09:12.give greater clarity on the payment of the increased allowance as to
:09:13. > :09:17.when and how it will be paid and whether she has considered the
:09:18. > :09:21.possibility of backdating to September to reflect when the powers
:09:22. > :09:27.of top-up would evolve? As she rightly says, we now have to bring
:09:28. > :09:33.the legislation to the parliament to give us the legal framework to give
:09:34. > :09:38.additional payments. We will do so before summary says. We are
:09:39. > :09:42.considering how we will make the additional top-up payments. --
:09:43. > :09:51.before summer recess. We want to do it sooner. We will use the views and
:09:52. > :09:58.experiences of our panels and expert groups and if the cross-party group
:09:59. > :10:01.has additional comments to draw to my attention, I would be happy to
:10:02. > :10:07.receive those. The Scottish Government, by what date for the
:10:08. > :10:10.next phase of the benefit uptake campaign begin and how long it will
:10:11. > :10:17.run and who the target audience will be? We will have a rolling programme
:10:18. > :10:19.of activity over the course of the Parliamentary term, the next phase
:10:20. > :10:25.will be focused on young carers. During carers week from the 12 until
:10:26. > :10:29.the 18th of June, we will take action to ensure young carers are
:10:30. > :10:34.aware of the benefits available to them and to encourage take-up. We
:10:35. > :10:37.are working in partnership with carers trust Scotland and a wide
:10:38. > :10:41.range of stakeholders who will support this activity. We know
:10:42. > :10:45.carers and young people play a crucial role in society and it is
:10:46. > :10:48.vitally important we support them in looking after the people they care
:10:49. > :10:52.for which can often be in very challenging circumstances. I welcome
:10:53. > :10:59.the comments she has made about young carers. My disappointment in
:11:00. > :11:08.the level of investment, I have raised it recently. Up to ?2 billion
:11:09. > :11:15.in benefits in Scotland are going in -- going unclaimed. Has she
:11:16. > :11:20.considered for example for everyone can spend advising, it is estimated
:11:21. > :11:26.?39 is delivered in additional benefits? Can she look to use the GP
:11:27. > :11:31.contract process to look at that as being a possible location for the
:11:32. > :11:36.benefit right services? I thank him for his question. He is aware that
:11:37. > :11:41.in terms of the phase one of the campaign, we have made a modest
:11:42. > :11:45.value for money investment. It will increase over the lifetime of the
:11:46. > :11:49.parliament and it will amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds. The
:11:50. > :11:53.issue about: patient is very potent. It could be something we could pick
:11:54. > :12:05.up in terms of a Round Table discussion -- co location. We could
:12:06. > :12:12.ask health ministers to discuss some issues with those who engage with
:12:13. > :12:15.GPs, but certainly, that issue of co location of people being able to get
:12:16. > :12:21.advice where they currently access public services it is a point well
:12:22. > :12:27.made, it features in the work we are doing in and around Social Security
:12:28. > :12:29.and our advice services review. Can the Cabinet Secretary confirm how
:12:30. > :12:35.much benefit uptake campaigns have cost this fast and what the Scottish
:12:36. > :12:40.garment hands done to ensure value for money in the delivery -- cost
:12:41. > :12:45.this far and what the Scottish Government has done. The broadbrush
:12:46. > :12:50.phase one of the campaign was a modest investment of ?6,000. As I
:12:51. > :12:58.said, that investment will increase to hundreds of thousands of pounds,
:12:59. > :13:01.but it begs the question, while we and the Scottish garment are
:13:02. > :13:05.prepared to invest in benefit take-up campaigns, we have half a
:13:06. > :13:09.million families, households, they are not getting what they are
:13:10. > :13:15.entitled to, it begs the question why we have no activity from the UK
:13:16. > :13:18.Government. Further to the previous questions and answers, can the
:13:19. > :13:23.secretary tell the Chamber of what work it is aware of the UK
:13:24. > :13:30.Government carrying out to increase benefits uptake? I am not aware of
:13:31. > :13:33.any recent work undertaken by the UK Government to increase benefit
:13:34. > :13:43.uptake which is both disappointing but perhaps not unsurprising. Thank
:13:44. > :13:46.you. To ask the Scottish Government how many planning appeals determined
:13:47. > :13:51.under ministerial direction in the last year have been contrary to
:13:52. > :13:54.local development plans. Nine planning appeals were determined
:13:55. > :13:59.under ministerial direction in the last year, seven of the appeals
:14:00. > :14:02.determined were for development contrary to the relevant development
:14:03. > :14:08.plans, and two were approved of these. I thank the Minister for the
:14:09. > :14:12.response. I hope he acknowledges public confidence in the planning
:14:13. > :14:16.system will be low where communities have spent years working on local
:14:17. > :14:20.development plans only to have decisions in line with the plans
:14:21. > :14:24.overturned. Can I ask why it has taken so long to determine the
:14:25. > :14:28.controversial appeal on the development given it has been nine
:14:29. > :14:31.months since the public inquiry concluded and nearly five months
:14:32. > :14:38.since the report landed on his desk? Thank you, this is a complex
:14:39. > :14:42.planning application and ministers are currently giving full and proper
:14:43. > :14:49.consideration to it. Every effort is being made to issue the decision as
:14:50. > :14:56.soon as possible. Question seven, sorry. Donald Campbell. What is the
:14:57. > :14:59.Scottish Government's response to the Census 2016 estimating the
:15:00. > :15:09.number of churchgoers will have more than halved between 2000 and 2025?
:15:10. > :15:12.Freedom of religion and of the choice to worship is an important
:15:13. > :15:17.right in our society and the Scottish church census things the
:15:18. > :15:20.useful picture of how the right is being exercised. It is not for the
:15:21. > :15:24.Scottish Government to express a view on how individuals choose to
:15:25. > :15:27.exercise their faith, but we will continue to engage with the
:15:28. > :15:32.different faith communities to understand the issues and listen to
:15:33. > :15:37.concerns. In relation to this, we would be happy to meet with the
:15:38. > :15:43.church and the council and others to discuss the particular issues raised
:15:44. > :15:47.by the census. She will be aware that the report suggests that
:15:48. > :15:52.Christian denominations are seeing falling church attendances. Given
:15:53. > :15:55.the importance of faith to the well-being of people and society,
:15:56. > :16:02.what can the Scottish Government offer in terms of support for all
:16:03. > :16:10.faith groups at this time? Scotland has a strong sense of social justice
:16:11. > :16:17.and faith communities include -- including Christian communities. In
:16:18. > :16:24.terms of the support that we give to faith communities, we support
:16:25. > :16:29.interfaith work and Scotland is a world leader in interfaith work and
:16:30. > :16:35.that interfaith dialogue and relations is crucially important to
:16:36. > :16:39.community cohesion and ensuring we continue to have good community
:16:40. > :16:44.cohesion and it is imperative, given the challenges we face,
:16:45. > :16:47.collectively, in our society, but there is mutual understanding and
:16:48. > :16:55.respect and that has become more in recent study macro -- more important
:16:56. > :16:59.in recent times. There is a fun supporting interfaith work, but the
:17:00. > :17:06.border third sector work also supports some of the issues of faith
:17:07. > :17:11.communities, very active in terms of social justice. -- there is a fund.
:17:12. > :17:16.Food justice would be a good example in terms of the work all faiths have
:17:17. > :17:19.been doing in that area. I quite like short answers and shorter
:17:20. > :17:25.questions. Number eight, Kenneth Gibson. What discussions have they
:17:26. > :17:31.had with the UK Government regarding the impact of the welfare reforms on
:17:32. > :17:35.communities in North Ayrshire? The Scottish Government has repeatedly
:17:36. > :17:38.called on the UK Government to halt the welfare reform programme,
:17:39. > :17:41.specifically we have called for an immediate stop to the roll-out of
:17:42. > :17:45.both Personal Independence Payments and universal credit, as well as an
:17:46. > :17:57.end to the sanctions regime until the issues of
:17:58. > :18:04.Our Sheffied Hallam University that Tory Social Security cuts have no
:18:05. > :18:08.relationship with employment growth and that the evidence provides
:18:09. > :18:13.little support for the view that welfare reform as having important
:18:14. > :18:20.impact on them labour market in Scotland. But she acknowledged that
:18:21. > :18:29.?540 dart that a long, long question, sorry minister. Thank you.
:18:30. > :18:35.I do acknowledge both that figure, they figures that I have seen range
:18:36. > :18:38.from between 382 540 pounds per person in Escher removed as a result
:18:39. > :18:44.of the welfare reforms, all of which of course is part of the 1 billion
:18:45. > :18:49.removed by the UK Government from people in Scotland in the welfare
:18:50. > :18:54.reforms introduced between 2015 and 2020, on top of the 1.4 billion that
:18:55. > :18:57.had already been taken up until that point, and I do absolutely agree
:18:58. > :19:01.with the member that there is no sustainable evidence that any of
:19:02. > :19:04.these welfare reforms at either reducing the national debt, which is
:19:05. > :19:14.itself increasing, while assisting more people into employment.
:19:15. > :19:18.Question nine, Monica Lennon. I draw the members attempting to might
:19:19. > :19:21.register of interests as a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute
:19:22. > :19:24.and a former south Lanarkshire councillor. To assess Scottish
:19:25. > :19:30.Government by the table with chart their planning consent it issued for
:19:31. > :19:37.an incinerator facility at white hell in Hamilton. The Scottish
:19:38. > :19:42.ministers do not propose to use a revocation powers in this case. I
:19:43. > :19:46.thank the Minister for his short answer. It will be no surprise to
:19:47. > :19:51.him that I am disappointed and my constituents will also be
:19:52. > :20:00.disappointed and very angry. I simply ask why? I met with Ms Lennon
:20:01. > :20:03.last year, and at that meeting I pointed out to heart that any
:20:04. > :20:08.revocation are planning permission would be for South Lanarkshire
:20:09. > :20:11.Council in the first instance. Ms Lennon has a ready pointed out that
:20:12. > :20:16.she was a member of South Lanarkshire Council at that point, I
:20:17. > :20:26.wonder if Juninho tenure there that he adds the mood for a revocation of
:20:27. > :20:30.this planning application. Incinerator capacity is projected to
:20:31. > :20:35.increase 12 times in the next five years, so this will mean councils
:20:36. > :20:40.might be contracted to both a barn and recycle the same waste, which
:20:41. > :20:43.clearly cannot happen. By the Scottish Government consider a
:20:44. > :20:51.moratorium on new incinerator construction? As the member is well
:20:52. > :20:58.aware, it will be held considered of me as planning Minister to talk
:20:59. > :21:04.about any applications which may be forthcoming. In terms of the general
:21:05. > :21:09.policy regarding energy from waste, his question would be best directed
:21:10. > :21:14.to the Cabinet Secretary for the environment. Question 11. To assess
:21:15. > :21:20.Scottish Government by that there are plans for the access to elected
:21:21. > :21:22.office from Scotland to be open to disabled people wishing to be
:21:23. > :21:29.nominated for the 2017 general election. Thank you. Because all
:21:30. > :21:32.aspects of election to the House of Commons and reserve, the 26 in
:21:33. > :21:37.Scotland I prepared its eyes from using our fund to provide to provide
:21:38. > :21:40.assistance to disabled candidates in the general election. The UK a clone
:21:41. > :21:44.of the fund ended in 2015 when the Conservative Party came to power and
:21:45. > :21:53.repeated tours took reopen it have gone and he did. Given the success
:21:54. > :21:57.of the fund at the most recent local elections, helping 39% candidate Pat
:21:58. > :22:00.and 412 to ultimately be elected, there is a minister not agree that
:22:01. > :22:04.this Labour funding levels the playing field and which you join me
:22:05. > :22:10.in calling on the UK Government to reopen the UK equivalent fund? I
:22:11. > :22:15.thank the member for that follow-up. Actually, more importantly than
:22:16. > :22:21.either Mr Beatty or myself, the candidates, those individuals who
:22:22. > :22:25.used our fund to stand in the most recent local council elections
:22:26. > :22:27.themselves say, and the organisations including including
:22:28. > :22:33.Scotland, who monitored and 11 that find on our behalf all say that
:22:34. > :22:37.defined act significantly to level the playing field, so I think it is
:22:38. > :22:41.proving itself to be six vessel. We will continue it for the Holyrood
:22:42. > :22:45.elections, and as we said yesterday, we are now looking at how we may use
:22:46. > :22:49.that fund and that approach in terms of other areas of public life, and
:22:50. > :22:57.I'm very happy to continue our calls to the UK Government to follow our
:22:58. > :23:02.example. To assess Scottish Government what safeguards are in
:23:03. > :23:07.place to protect communities that in close but omitted to extensive
:23:08. > :23:15.building works. A range of safeguards are in place including
:23:16. > :23:20.planning, environmental health, bulging standards and environmental
:23:21. > :23:26.protection regulations. I thank the Minister for that answer. I have
:23:27. > :23:28.been contact by a constituent living in close proximity to Donaldson
:23:29. > :23:35.School in Edinburgh which is currently undergoing extensive
:23:36. > :23:42.building works. They have concerned about the dust in the air. By the
:23:43. > :23:45.Minister Loic at this issue alongside other Government
:23:46. > :23:49.departments in order to find a solution to this problem? I would
:23:50. > :23:54.suggest that Mr Lang has contact Edinburgh City Council to get them
:23:55. > :24:00.to to check what is going on at that site. I would imagine that that
:24:01. > :24:06.would be helpful to his constituent. The council itself has the ability
:24:07. > :24:14.to take action if there is anything improper going on. To assess
:24:15. > :24:17.Scottish Government what it is doing to increase the availability of
:24:18. > :24:23.affordable housing in the north-east of Scotland. We continue to make
:24:24. > :24:26.significant increases to our investment in building more
:24:27. > :24:31.affordable housing in the north-east. Aberdeen city and
:24:32. > :24:34.Aberdeenshire councils were allocated ?12 million and ?90
:24:35. > :24:40.million respectively for the affordable housing programmes in
:24:41. > :24:45.2017, which in itself requested approximate double the resources
:24:46. > :24:47.allocated in 2015. Aberdeen said the deal also includes ?29 of
:24:48. > :24:54.infrastructure funding from the Scottish Government to unlock
:24:55. > :24:59.Housing sites, and a five-year certainty of ?130 million of
:25:00. > :25:03.affordable housing grant. Thank you for that answer. High House prices
:25:04. > :25:07.in the north-east have an impact on filling vacant post in the public
:25:08. > :25:10.sector. Can a minister advise me of any schemes that are ongoing to
:25:11. > :25:16.prioritise availability for affordable homes for those working
:25:17. > :25:22.in the public sector? The Scottish Government provided additional ?8
:25:23. > :25:25.million to support 124 units key worker housing project on surplus
:25:26. > :25:30.public sector land at the former Craig and his present in Aberdeen,
:25:31. > :25:34.which is due for completion in March 2000 18. A big sector workers
:25:35. > :25:39.provide an essential service, including any staff and teachers in
:25:40. > :25:47.particular, will benefit from this offer. Also in the pipeline is a
:25:48. > :25:51.Scottish Government funded 100 unit housing project at Burnside in
:25:52. > :25:57.Aberdeen, were NHS staff will also be prioritised. And so you will be
:25:58. > :26:02.heartened to Poti and very and see the new housing there by the housing
:26:03. > :26:07.association, which I think was welcomed by all the tenants. To as
:26:08. > :26:11.the Scottish Government what response it has received from the
:26:12. > :26:14.third sector to the comment by the Minister for social security and
:26:15. > :26:19.private sector should not be involved and assessment for
:26:20. > :26:23.Scotland's the benefits. We have received a very positive response
:26:24. > :26:25.from across the third sector including poverty Alliance, gel
:26:26. > :26:30.poverty action group, inclusion Scotland and the Council of Scottish
:26:31. > :26:34.voluntary organisations. We have also received a number of positive
:26:35. > :26:36.responses directly from individuals with disabilities and their
:26:37. > :26:43.statement was adversely welcomed by the public service union. I thank
:26:44. > :26:48.the Minister for that answer. Does the Minister believed that the model
:26:49. > :26:52.of assessment will be better able to deal with mental health conditions
:26:53. > :26:57.and fluctuating conditions of claimants than is currently the case
:26:58. > :27:02.under the reserved UK system? It is certainly our intention that that
:27:03. > :27:06.will be the case, and we are working with the disability and carers
:27:07. > :27:10.benefits expert advisory group and in particular with the assistance of
:27:11. > :27:15.Doctor Alan McDevitt, who chairs the GP group, to work with other health
:27:16. > :27:22.professionals and those in the social care sector to divide her as
:27:23. > :27:25.a much quicker, and fear assessment process which will allow better
:27:26. > :27:32.decisions to be made first time, and will allow us to use those with the
:27:33. > :27:36.relevant clinical, medical or social care experience to conduct any
:27:37. > :27:40.assessments that may be required, relevant to the condition of the
:27:41. > :27:45.individual. That should, and it is our intention that it well, address
:27:46. > :27:48.your particular deficiencies in the current system, particularly our own
:27:49. > :27:53.mental health, fluctuating conditions and other matters were
:27:54. > :27:56.people from people from the expert panels, from the experienced banners
:27:57. > :28:03.and from a consultation made very clear to see improvements. To assess
:28:04. > :28:07.Scottish Government what it is by and says to recent figures that
:28:08. > :28:13.suggest Scottish welfare fund has supported more than 241,000
:28:14. > :28:22.households with awards totalling 124 mullion pounds. It is incorrect to
:28:23. > :28:30.say that since 2013, 24 Jimmy haven't tested 19 million and then
:28:31. > :28:33.fund, helping many households, a third of which include children.
:28:34. > :28:37.Providing this vital lifeline for people of Scotland is of course the
:28:38. > :28:42.right thing to do for any TV and compassionate Government, but it is
:28:43. > :28:49.wrong that people in Scotland and this Government have to continue to
:28:50. > :28:54.use our resources to pay for -- paper over the increasing levels of
:28:55. > :28:59.hardship as a result of the UK but Government ideological agenda
:29:00. > :29:06.welfare agenda. There's the Minister share my concern that this number
:29:07. > :29:15.and the money will in fact rise to this six-week minimum alt Andile I'm
:29:16. > :29:20.first payment on the UK Government's universal credit system? There isn't
:29:21. > :29:26.a growing evidence that this six-week delay in terms of universal
:29:27. > :29:30.credit first payment is producing additional hardship, and I know that
:29:31. > :29:35.my colleague married Todd from the Highlands has raised this matter on
:29:36. > :29:39.a number of occasions, and indeed on Monday I myself will be talking to
:29:40. > :29:42.people in Inverness about precisely that problem. That then does produce
:29:43. > :29:49.additional pressures on welfare fund, and we have made specific
:29:50. > :29:53.additional resources allocation is to try and assist that, but the
:29:54. > :29:58.bottom line always remains that the problem lies disorders, which is a
:29:59. > :30:03.UK Government's welfare agenda, their cuts, which they tell as are
:30:04. > :30:07.there to help manage the public finances in a situation where the
:30:08. > :30:16.public debt continued to rise, and is now, I believe someone around
:30:17. > :30:19.?1.8 billion. To assess Scottish Government how many households in
:30:20. > :30:25.Scotland will be affected by the changes to child tax credit that of
:30:26. > :30:27.integers on the 6th of April. The Scottish Government is deeply
:30:28. > :30:37.opposed to the UK Government's to tell tax credit cup by 2020 and
:30:38. > :30:43.50,000 Scottish has also been negatively affected. It will push
:30:44. > :30:48.more and more families into poverty. Can I ask what response if any you
:30:49. > :30:51.have had from the UK Government in relation to the Scottish
:30:52. > :31:00.Parliament's decisive vote opposing the two tells cap and a main -- rape
:31:01. > :31:06.clause. We have had no response from the UK Government at all. As we all
:31:07. > :31:09.know, the rape clause is a fundamental violation of human
:31:10. > :31:14.rights, it is disgraceful that despite serious concerns raised in
:31:15. > :31:18.this chamber, and a wide range of organisations including Rape Crisis
:31:19. > :31:25.Scotland, And Scottish Women's It, Gummer That The Uk Government
:31:26. > :31:28.Refuses To Reverse This Shameful Policy. To Assess Scottish
:31:29. > :31:33.Government Whether It Has Received A Response From The Uk Government To
:31:34. > :31:37.Is Request To Halt The Roll-out Of Universal Credit In Scotland
:31:38. > :31:45.Following Reports That The New System Is Pushing More People Into
:31:46. > :31:49.Hardship And Debt. Regrettably, the Secretary of State did not respond
:31:50. > :31:55.directly to this request. He has sent a five page report extolling
:31:56. > :31:57.the virtues of universal credit, which itself confirmed that the UK
:31:58. > :32:04.Government has no intention of halting the roll-out. The Minister
:32:05. > :32:07.is aware that universal credit is causing real hardship to individuals
:32:08. > :32:13.in the Highlands. An addition, Andrea 's art causing real hardship
:32:14. > :32:16.to the local council and a housing associations find themselves in the
:32:17. > :32:20.unenviable position of pressuring tenant through the courts for a debt
:32:21. > :32:23.that is not of their own making. Does the Minister agree with me that
:32:24. > :32:30.the situation is completely unacceptable and must be halted? Yes
:32:31. > :32:35.I do. I think the evidence is stacking up by the day that the
:32:36. > :32:39.roll-out of universal credit, in particular the built-in six-week
:32:40. > :32:45.delay, for which I cannot yet find any reasonable credible explanation,
:32:46. > :32:48.is beating particular strain and causing more hardship for
:32:49. > :32:54.individuals. We will ourselves in with the support of the DWP to apply
:32:55. > :32:59.our particular flexibilities, which will allow the direct payment of
:33:00. > :33:02.rent to landlords, and the choice of twice weekly payments, but even that
:33:03. > :33:08.does not get us all that the six-week delay, and again, we would
:33:09. > :33:12.as the UK Government is seriously consider halting the roll-out of
:33:13. > :33:16.universal credit until the series as of hardship that it is imposing an
:33:17. > :33:22.bringing to families in Scotland are considered properly.
:33:23. > :33:33.To ask the Scottish Government when its officials last met with Atos
:33:34. > :33:39.health care? On the 5th of April this year, to obtain an
:33:40. > :33:44.understanding of how Atos's views the assessment process operating in
:33:45. > :33:50.Scotland. There are no plans to meet again. I thank the Minister for that
:33:51. > :33:54.answer. Will the Scottish Government ruled out at this stage any
:33:55. > :34:01.involvement with Atos in the design and delivery of the new Scottish
:34:02. > :34:06.Social Security system? I thank the member for that question. I believe
:34:07. > :34:09.I have all ready done so in the statement I gave to Parliament on
:34:10. > :34:14.the new Social Security agency, we made clear we see no place in the
:34:15. > :34:20.assessment of benefits for private sector companies. Question 19, the
:34:21. > :34:26.member is not here. I hope there will be good reasons for her not
:34:27. > :34:33.being present. Question 20. John Mason. And I congratulate you on
:34:34. > :34:36.getting to question 20? I was not particularly anticipating it. You
:34:37. > :34:43.must never take things here for granted! What is the position on the
:34:44. > :34:48.outcome of the local government elections? Scottish ministers
:34:49. > :34:54.congratulate all councillors elected and welcome the role they fulfil for
:34:55. > :34:58.their communities. We are delighted that elections were conducted
:34:59. > :35:05.successfully and the election turnout at 46.9% was higher than the
:35:06. > :35:09.39.6% in 2012. We look forward to working with Scotland's
:35:10. > :35:13.democratically elected councils to take forward our priorities for the
:35:14. > :35:19.people of Scotland. I thank the Minister for that answer. There was
:35:20. > :35:26.considerable effort put into encourage people to mark the ballot
:35:27. > :35:29.papers one, two, three, four. On looking at papers apparently
:35:30. > :35:38.spoiled, it appeared a lot had either two or three Xs on them. Has
:35:39. > :35:41.the Minister any suggestions how we can tackle this problem by way of
:35:42. > :35:48.education or some other way? Thank you. The Electoral Commission
:35:49. > :35:54.already runs information campaigns to inform voters about how to cast
:35:55. > :35:58.their vote. In particular, a leaflet is delivered to every household
:35:59. > :36:04.before any election giving detailed guidance on how to cast your vote at
:36:05. > :36:08.that particular poll. In addition, an explanation is sent out with
:36:09. > :36:15.every postal ballot pack and large print exclamatory notices are
:36:16. > :36:18.exhibited in polling stations. Information is available wherever a
:36:19. > :36:24.ballot paper is being completed. In the home, at the polling station.
:36:25. > :36:29.Anyone unsure about how to vote can also contact the returning officer's
:36:30. > :36:39.office to ask for advice and polling station staff are also available to
:36:40. > :36:44.help. The SNP got 32% of the vote, the same as in 2012. It has flat
:36:45. > :36:50.lined. Labour was down in vote share and numbers of seats. I would like a
:36:51. > :36:57.question rather than a party political broadcasts. An extra
:36:58. > :37:03.proper sense. -- 12%. Would the Minister agree the real winners were
:37:04. > :37:12.the Scottish Conservatives? I think I can guess the answer. Go ahead.
:37:13. > :37:15.No, I would not agree. There was only one winner in last week's
:37:16. > :37:23.Scottish elections, that was the SNP. We had the largest amount of
:37:24. > :37:28.votes cast, the largest amount of councillors, the largest party on 16
:37:29. > :37:36.councils and joint largest in three others. We won in the four main
:37:37. > :37:41.cities. Let us be honest, there cannot only be one winner, it was
:37:42. > :37:46.not the Scottish Conservative Party, it certainly was not the Scottish
:37:47. > :37:49.Labour Party, those who got the most was the SNP. That concludes
:37:50. > :38:28.portfolio questions. The Cabinet Secretary will take
:38:29. > :38:32.questions at the end of the statement. No interventions. I will
:38:33. > :38:33.ask any members who wish to ask