18/05/2017 Scottish Parliament


18/05/2017

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The next item of business as portfolio questions. Number one,

:00:14.:00:21.

Rose Thompson. Thank you. To as the Scottish Government Harry agrees it

:00:22.:00:26.

estimate of ?150 million annual cost for the new Social Security agency.

:00:27.:00:33.

Presiding Officer, the executive summary of the outline business case

:00:34.:00:35.

for this Social Security agency Scotland which was published on the

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Scottish Government website on the 27th of April 2017 contains if real

:00:41.:00:45.

explanation. Further detail is also contained in the main document and

:00:46.:00:53.

chapters two, five and nine. And I forgot to say the usual mantra,

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short questions, short answers, though I except that that was

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required. I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that answer. I know

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that the Cabinet Secretary Finance committee conceded that the cost of

:01:07.:01:10.

delivery of the benefits will be greater than the present cost. When

:01:11.:01:15.

quizzed by my colleague Alness, Mr Mackay was unable to elaborate on

:01:16.:01:23.

these cars. Can the Cabinet secretary explained where the

:01:24.:01:25.

Scottish Government has quantified this cost and exactly what it will

:01:26.:01:31.

be? The Cabinet Secretary for refiners conceded no such thing, but

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of course it is on the official record what he did or did not say to

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the Finance committee. Can I point out that the agency running cost

:01:40.:01:46.

will be around 5% of what we spend on benefits, and the combinable

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figure for DWP is Ashley 6.3%. The running costs estimates from a cost

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using activity base and information from the Department of work

:02:00.:02:04.

impressions, and a minister in her statement not that long ago said

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that these figures would be further refined in terms of the more nuanced

:02:08.:02:14.

details signs of the system. And of course, the location of the agency,

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but I think of running cost, at estimated at around 5%, that shows

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that our figures are credible, they are compatible with the UK

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Government, and they are value for money. To assess Scottish Government

:02:29.:02:34.

plan has two the guidance on what constitutes a danger this building.

:02:35.:02:40.

Thank you. This got is Government does not provide guidance on what

:02:41.:02:44.

constitutes a danger this building. Local authorities are responsible

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and the building Scotland act, 2003, to deal with buildings that they

:02:50.:02:50.

consider to be dangerous. They also have powers to deal with

:02:51.:03:01.

buildings they considered effective. Has the Scottish Government made

:03:02.:03:08.

consideration for buildings that need security monitoring to keep

:03:09.:03:15.

children out? I do not feel... We have got your question, thank you.

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As I said, it is up to local authorities themselves to decide

:03:22.:03:27.

whether a building is dangerous or defective and to take the necessary

:03:28.:03:32.

actions they feel they need to take with the legislation in place to do

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so. Question three. Thank you. To ask the Scottish Government how it

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will encourage the uptake of all the devolved benefits to which people

:03:43.:03:50.

might be entitled. Social Security is a human right and we are

:03:51.:03:54.

determined to support everyone to claim the benefits to which they are

:03:55.:03:58.

entitled. There are a range of reasons why people do not claim such

:03:59.:04:04.

support and it is disappointing UK Government has not taken action to

:04:05.:04:08.

improve take-up, making sure everyone receives financial support

:04:09.:04:13.

is one of the first steps to putting dignity and respect at the heart of

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Social Security in Scotland. We have made a clear commitment to do all we

:04:18.:04:23.

can to maximise family income. Over the course of this parliamentary

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term, we will deliver a programme of activity to increase uptake of

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Social Security by encouraging people to exercise their rights and

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claim the benefits they are due. What assessment has the Government

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made of the effectiveness...? I beg your pardon. Quite right. Frowning

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at me. Alison Johnson. I am out of practice! Thank you. I thank the

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Cabinet Secretary for her response. Today the Scottish Parliament

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becomes responsible for a range of benefits including carers allowance

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and many of the benefits have complicated interactions with one

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another, making it more difficult for people to understand their

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entitlement. When someone... Let us have a question. What work is under

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way to review how the benefits being devolved interact and what steps are

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being taken to make this complicated system easier to not navigate? --

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easier to navigate? It is complex and therefore a very important point

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for the Scottish Government to help people navigate their way through

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the laxity is to ensure the agency has the duty to maximise income is

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-- the complexity. It will help us know and evaluate what works in

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terms of encouraging people to take up the benefits they are entitled

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to, whether they are reserve benefits or devolved. As I say in my

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closing remarks to yesterday's debate, we will have a Round Table

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with our partners and local government, ensuring the work we do

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in this parliamentary term is consistent and broadbrush and

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targeted to people who need advice. Yesterday I was confused with

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someone else and today Alison Johnson. Probably progress! What has

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the assessment been of the week-long campaign to highlight support? It is

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a fair point. The campaign in March was just phase one, broadbrush

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campaign to support the general take-up of benefits, the press

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activity had the potential to reach over 1 million people, the radio

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activity had the potential also to reach 1.3 million people. And we

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know from the Citizens Advice Bureau that they have had an increase in

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inquiries and website activity. In terms of the more detailed nuanced

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analysis of the impact, that work is still going on. Can the Cabinet

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Secretary tell us the value of the unclaimed devolved benefits that the

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UK Government has failed to encourage the take-up of? It is

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quite difficult to get accurate information in relation to benefits

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that will be devolved but what we know over the piece and terms of

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benefits and child tax benefits in particular, there are more than half

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a million individuals and families who are not claiming what they are

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entitled to. That gives an onus on the Scottish garment to do more but

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it begs big westerns about what the UK Government is doing to increase

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uptake -- that gives an onus on the Scottish Government to do more but

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it begs big questions about what the UK Government is doing to increase

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uptake. What assessment has been made of the impact that an increased

:08:13.:08:17.

carers allowance would have on disability poverty? Thank you. The

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aim of the increased carers allowance is to recognise the vital

:08:24.:08:27.

contributions carers make to society. We are assessing the impact

:08:28.:08:32.

currently of the policy on other groups along with other policies

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including disabled people through the equality impact assessments. I

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thank the Minister. Now that both the powers to top up and make

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changes have been devolved and ends in this Chamber, we have the powers

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to legislate and improve the lives of carers across Scotland. I am a

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cocoa bean of the cross-party group for carers. I want a question.

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Before we get to carers week... I want a question. Can the Minister

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give greater clarity on the payment of the increased allowance as to

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when and how it will be paid and whether she has considered the

:09:13.:09:17.

possibility of backdating to September to reflect when the powers

:09:18.:09:21.

of top-up would evolve? As she rightly says, we now have to bring

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the legislation to the parliament to give us the legal framework to give

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additional payments. We will do so before summary says. We are

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considering how we will make the additional top-up payments. --

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before summer recess. We want to do it sooner. We will use the views and

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experiences of our panels and expert groups and if the cross-party group

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has additional comments to draw to my attention, I would be happy to

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receive those. The Scottish Government, by what date for the

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next phase of the benefit uptake campaign begin and how long it will

:10:08.:10:10.

run and who the target audience will be? We will have a rolling programme

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of activity over the course of the Parliamentary term, the next phase

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will be focused on young carers. During carers week from the 12 until

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the 18th of June, we will take action to ensure young carers are

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aware of the benefits available to them and to encourage take-up. We

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are working in partnership with carers trust Scotland and a wide

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range of stakeholders who will support this activity. We know

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carers and young people play a crucial role in society and it is

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vitally important we support them in looking after the people they care

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for which can often be in very challenging circumstances. I welcome

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the comments she has made about young carers. My disappointment in

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the level of investment, I have raised it recently. Up to ?2 billion

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in benefits in Scotland are going in -- going unclaimed. Has she

:11:09.:11:15.

considered for example for everyone can spend advising, it is estimated

:11:16.:11:20.

?39 is delivered in additional benefits? Can she look to use the GP

:11:21.:11:26.

contract process to look at that as being a possible location for the

:11:27.:11:31.

benefit right services? I thank him for his question. He is aware that

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in terms of the phase one of the campaign, we have made a modest

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value for money investment. It will increase over the lifetime of the

:11:42.:11:45.

parliament and it will amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds. The

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issue about: patient is very potent. It could be something we could pick

:11:50.:11:53.

up in terms of a Round Table discussion -- co location. We could

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ask health ministers to discuss some issues with those who engage with

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GPs, but certainly, that issue of co location of people being able to get

:12:13.:12:15.

advice where they currently access public services it is a point well

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made, it features in the work we are doing in and around Social Security

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and our advice services review. Can the Cabinet Secretary confirm how

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much benefit uptake campaigns have cost this fast and what the Scottish

:12:30.:12:35.

garment hands done to ensure value for money in the delivery -- cost

:12:36.:12:40.

this far and what the Scottish Government has done. The broadbrush

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phase one of the campaign was a modest investment of ?6,000. As I

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said, that investment will increase to hundreds of thousands of pounds,

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but it begs the question, while we and the Scottish garment are

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prepared to invest in benefit take-up campaigns, we have half a

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million families, households, they are not getting what they are

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entitled to, it begs the question why we have no activity from the UK

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Government. Further to the previous questions and answers, can the

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secretary tell the Chamber of what work it is aware of the UK

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Government carrying out to increase benefits uptake? I am not aware of

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any recent work undertaken by the UK Government to increase benefit

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uptake which is both disappointing but perhaps not unsurprising. Thank

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you. To ask the Scottish Government how many planning appeals determined

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under ministerial direction in the last year have been contrary to

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local development plans. Nine planning appeals were determined

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under ministerial direction in the last year, seven of the appeals

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determined were for development contrary to the relevant development

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plans, and two were approved of these. I thank the Minister for the

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response. I hope he acknowledges public confidence in the planning

:14:09.:14:12.

system will be low where communities have spent years working on local

:14:13.:14:16.

development plans only to have decisions in line with the plans

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overturned. Can I ask why it has taken so long to determine the

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controversial appeal on the development given it has been nine

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months since the public inquiry concluded and nearly five months

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since the report landed on his desk? Thank you, this is a complex

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planning application and ministers are currently giving full and proper

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consideration to it. Every effort is being made to issue the decision as

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soon as possible. Question seven, sorry. Donald Campbell. What is the

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Scottish Government's response to the Census 2016 estimating the

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number of churchgoers will have more than halved between 2000 and 2025?

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Freedom of religion and of the choice to worship is an important

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right in our society and the Scottish church census things the

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useful picture of how the right is being exercised. It is not for the

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Scottish Government to express a view on how individuals choose to

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exercise their faith, but we will continue to engage with the

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different faith communities to understand the issues and listen to

:15:28.:15:32.

concerns. In relation to this, we would be happy to meet with the

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church and the council and others to discuss the particular issues raised

:15:38.:15:43.

by the census. She will be aware that the report suggests that

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Christian denominations are seeing falling church attendances. Given

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the importance of faith to the well-being of people and society,

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what can the Scottish Government offer in terms of support for all

:15:56.:16:02.

faith groups at this time? Scotland has a strong sense of social justice

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and faith communities include -- including Christian communities. In

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terms of the support that we give to faith communities, we support

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interfaith work and Scotland is a world leader in interfaith work and

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that interfaith dialogue and relations is crucially important to

:16:30.:16:35.

community cohesion and ensuring we continue to have good community

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cohesion and it is imperative, given the challenges we face,

:16:40.:16:44.

collectively, in our society, but there is mutual understanding and

:16:45.:16:47.

respect and that has become more in recent study macro -- more important

:16:48.:16:55.

in recent times. There is a fun supporting interfaith work, but the

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border third sector work also supports some of the issues of faith

:17:00.:17:06.

communities, very active in terms of social justice. -- there is a fund.

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Food justice would be a good example in terms of the work all faiths have

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been doing in that area. I quite like short answers and shorter

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questions. Number eight, Kenneth Gibson. What discussions have they

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had with the UK Government regarding the impact of the welfare reforms on

:17:26.:17:31.

communities in North Ayrshire? The Scottish Government has repeatedly

:17:32.:17:35.

called on the UK Government to halt the welfare reform programme,

:17:36.:17:38.

specifically we have called for an immediate stop to the roll-out of

:17:39.:17:41.

both Personal Independence Payments and universal credit, as well as an

:17:42.:17:45.

end to the sanctions regime until the issues of

:17:46.:17:57.

Our Sheffied Hallam University that Tory Social Security cuts have no

:17:58.:18:04.

relationship with employment growth and that the evidence provides

:18:05.:18:08.

little support for the view that welfare reform as having important

:18:09.:18:13.

impact on them labour market in Scotland. But she acknowledged that

:18:14.:18:20.

?540 dart that a long, long question, sorry minister. Thank you.

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I do acknowledge both that figure, they figures that I have seen range

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from between 382 540 pounds per person in Escher removed as a result

:18:36.:18:38.

of the welfare reforms, all of which of course is part of the 1 billion

:18:39.:18:44.

removed by the UK Government from people in Scotland in the welfare

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reforms introduced between 2015 and 2020, on top of the 1.4 billion that

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had already been taken up until that point, and I do absolutely agree

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with the member that there is no sustainable evidence that any of

:18:58.:19:01.

these welfare reforms at either reducing the national debt, which is

:19:02.:19:04.

itself increasing, while assisting more people into employment.

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Question nine, Monica Lennon. I draw the members attempting to might

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register of interests as a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute

:19:19.:19:21.

and a former south Lanarkshire councillor. To assess Scottish

:19:22.:19:24.

Government by the table with chart their planning consent it issued for

:19:25.:19:30.

an incinerator facility at white hell in Hamilton. The Scottish

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ministers do not propose to use a revocation powers in this case. I

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thank the Minister for his short answer. It will be no surprise to

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him that I am disappointed and my constituents will also be

:19:47.:19:51.

disappointed and very angry. I simply ask why? I met with Ms Lennon

:19:52.:20:00.

last year, and at that meeting I pointed out to heart that any

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revocation are planning permission would be for South Lanarkshire

:20:04.:20:08.

Council in the first instance. Ms Lennon has a ready pointed out that

:20:09.:20:11.

she was a member of South Lanarkshire Council at that point, I

:20:12.:20:16.

wonder if Juninho tenure there that he adds the mood for a revocation of

:20:17.:20:26.

this planning application. Incinerator capacity is projected to

:20:27.:20:30.

increase 12 times in the next five years, so this will mean councils

:20:31.:20:35.

might be contracted to both a barn and recycle the same waste, which

:20:36.:20:40.

clearly cannot happen. By the Scottish Government consider a

:20:41.:20:43.

moratorium on new incinerator construction? As the member is well

:20:44.:20:51.

aware, it will be held considered of me as planning Minister to talk

:20:52.:20:58.

about any applications which may be forthcoming. In terms of the general

:20:59.:21:04.

policy regarding energy from waste, his question would be best directed

:21:05.:21:09.

to the Cabinet Secretary for the environment. Question 11. To assess

:21:10.:21:14.

Scottish Government by that there are plans for the access to elected

:21:15.:21:20.

office from Scotland to be open to disabled people wishing to be

:21:21.:21:22.

nominated for the 2017 general election. Thank you. Because all

:21:23.:21:29.

aspects of election to the House of Commons and reserve, the 26 in

:21:30.:21:32.

Scotland I prepared its eyes from using our fund to provide to provide

:21:33.:21:37.

assistance to disabled candidates in the general election. The UK a clone

:21:38.:21:40.

of the fund ended in 2015 when the Conservative Party came to power and

:21:41.:21:44.

repeated tours took reopen it have gone and he did. Given the success

:21:45.:21:53.

of the fund at the most recent local elections, helping 39% candidate Pat

:21:54.:21:57.

and 412 to ultimately be elected, there is a minister not agree that

:21:58.:22:00.

this Labour funding levels the playing field and which you join me

:22:01.:22:04.

in calling on the UK Government to reopen the UK equivalent fund? I

:22:05.:22:10.

thank the member for that follow-up. Actually, more importantly than

:22:11.:22:15.

either Mr Beatty or myself, the candidates, those individuals who

:22:16.:22:21.

used our fund to stand in the most recent local council elections

:22:22.:22:25.

themselves say, and the organisations including including

:22:26.:22:27.

Scotland, who monitored and 11 that find on our behalf all say that

:22:28.:22:33.

defined act significantly to level the playing field, so I think it is

:22:34.:22:37.

proving itself to be six vessel. We will continue it for the Holyrood

:22:38.:22:41.

elections, and as we said yesterday, we are now looking at how we may use

:22:42.:22:45.

that fund and that approach in terms of other areas of public life, and

:22:46.:22:49.

I'm very happy to continue our calls to the UK Government to follow our

:22:50.:22:57.

example. To assess Scottish Government what safeguards are in

:22:58.:23:02.

place to protect communities that in close but omitted to extensive

:23:03.:23:07.

building works. A range of safeguards are in place including

:23:08.:23:15.

planning, environmental health, bulging standards and environmental

:23:16.:23:20.

protection regulations. I thank the Minister for that answer. I have

:23:21.:23:26.

been contact by a constituent living in close proximity to Donaldson

:23:27.:23:28.

School in Edinburgh which is currently undergoing extensive

:23:29.:23:35.

building works. They have concerned about the dust in the air. By the

:23:36.:23:42.

Minister Loic at this issue alongside other Government

:23:43.:23:45.

departments in order to find a solution to this problem? I would

:23:46.:23:49.

suggest that Mr Lang has contact Edinburgh City Council to get them

:23:50.:23:54.

to to check what is going on at that site. I would imagine that that

:23:55.:24:00.

would be helpful to his constituent. The council itself has the ability

:24:01.:24:06.

to take action if there is anything improper going on. To assess

:24:07.:24:14.

Scottish Government what it is doing to increase the availability of

:24:15.:24:17.

affordable housing in the north-east of Scotland. We continue to make

:24:18.:24:23.

significant increases to our investment in building more

:24:24.:24:26.

affordable housing in the north-east. Aberdeen city and

:24:27.:24:31.

Aberdeenshire councils were allocated ?12 million and ?90

:24:32.:24:34.

million respectively for the affordable housing programmes in

:24:35.:24:40.

2017, which in itself requested approximate double the resources

:24:41.:24:45.

allocated in 2015. Aberdeen said the deal also includes ?29 of

:24:46.:24:47.

infrastructure funding from the Scottish Government to unlock

:24:48.:24:54.

Housing sites, and a five-year certainty of ?130 million of

:24:55.:24:59.

affordable housing grant. Thank you for that answer. High House prices

:25:00.:25:03.

in the north-east have an impact on filling vacant post in the public

:25:04.:25:07.

sector. Can a minister advise me of any schemes that are ongoing to

:25:08.:25:10.

prioritise availability for affordable homes for those working

:25:11.:25:16.

in the public sector? The Scottish Government provided additional ?8

:25:17.:25:22.

million to support 124 units key worker housing project on surplus

:25:23.:25:25.

public sector land at the former Craig and his present in Aberdeen,

:25:26.:25:30.

which is due for completion in March 2000 18. A big sector workers

:25:31.:25:34.

provide an essential service, including any staff and teachers in

:25:35.:25:39.

particular, will benefit from this offer. Also in the pipeline is a

:25:40.:25:47.

Scottish Government funded 100 unit housing project at Burnside in

:25:48.:25:51.

Aberdeen, were NHS staff will also be prioritised. And so you will be

:25:52.:25:57.

heartened to Poti and very and see the new housing there by the housing

:25:58.:26:02.

association, which I think was welcomed by all the tenants. To as

:26:03.:26:07.

the Scottish Government what response it has received from the

:26:08.:26:11.

third sector to the comment by the Minister for social security and

:26:12.:26:14.

private sector should not be involved and assessment for

:26:15.:26:19.

Scotland's the benefits. We have received a very positive response

:26:20.:26:23.

from across the third sector including poverty Alliance, gel

:26:24.:26:25.

poverty action group, inclusion Scotland and the Council of Scottish

:26:26.:26:30.

voluntary organisations. We have also received a number of positive

:26:31.:26:34.

responses directly from individuals with disabilities and their

:26:35.:26:36.

statement was adversely welcomed by the public service union. I thank

:26:37.:26:43.

the Minister for that answer. Does the Minister believed that the model

:26:44.:26:48.

of assessment will be better able to deal with mental health conditions

:26:49.:26:52.

and fluctuating conditions of claimants than is currently the case

:26:53.:26:57.

under the reserved UK system? It is certainly our intention that that

:26:58.:27:02.

will be the case, and we are working with the disability and carers

:27:03.:27:06.

benefits expert advisory group and in particular with the assistance of

:27:07.:27:10.

Doctor Alan McDevitt, who chairs the GP group, to work with other health

:27:11.:27:15.

professionals and those in the social care sector to divide her as

:27:16.:27:22.

a much quicker, and fear assessment process which will allow better

:27:23.:27:25.

decisions to be made first time, and will allow us to use those with the

:27:26.:27:32.

relevant clinical, medical or social care experience to conduct any

:27:33.:27:36.

assessments that may be required, relevant to the condition of the

:27:37.:27:40.

individual. That should, and it is our intention that it well, address

:27:41.:27:45.

your particular deficiencies in the current system, particularly our own

:27:46.:27:48.

mental health, fluctuating conditions and other matters were

:27:49.:27:53.

people from people from the expert panels, from the experienced banners

:27:54.:27:56.

and from a consultation made very clear to see improvements. To assess

:27:57.:28:03.

Scottish Government what it is by and says to recent figures that

:28:04.:28:07.

suggest Scottish welfare fund has supported more than 241,000

:28:08.:28:13.

households with awards totalling 124 mullion pounds. It is incorrect to

:28:14.:28:22.

say that since 2013, 24 Jimmy haven't tested 19 million and then

:28:23.:28:30.

fund, helping many households, a third of which include children.

:28:31.:28:33.

Providing this vital lifeline for people of Scotland is of course the

:28:34.:28:37.

right thing to do for any TV and compassionate Government, but it is

:28:38.:28:42.

wrong that people in Scotland and this Government have to continue to

:28:43.:28:49.

use our resources to pay for -- paper over the increasing levels of

:28:50.:28:54.

hardship as a result of the UK but Government ideological agenda

:28:55.:28:59.

welfare agenda. There's the Minister share my concern that this number

:29:00.:29:06.

and the money will in fact rise to this six-week minimum alt Andile I'm

:29:07.:29:15.

first payment on the UK Government's universal credit system? There isn't

:29:16.:29:20.

a growing evidence that this six-week delay in terms of universal

:29:21.:29:26.

credit first payment is producing additional hardship, and I know that

:29:27.:29:30.

my colleague married Todd from the Highlands has raised this matter on

:29:31.:29:35.

a number of occasions, and indeed on Monday I myself will be talking to

:29:36.:29:39.

people in Inverness about precisely that problem. That then does produce

:29:40.:29:42.

additional pressures on welfare fund, and we have made specific

:29:43.:29:49.

additional resources allocation is to try and assist that, but the

:29:50.:29:53.

bottom line always remains that the problem lies disorders, which is a

:29:54.:29:58.

UK Government's welfare agenda, their cuts, which they tell as are

:29:59.:30:03.

there to help manage the public finances in a situation where the

:30:04.:30:07.

public debt continued to rise, and is now, I believe someone around

:30:08.:30:16.

?1.8 billion. To assess Scottish Government how many households in

:30:17.:30:19.

Scotland will be affected by the changes to child tax credit that of

:30:20.:30:25.

integers on the 6th of April. The Scottish Government is deeply

:30:26.:30:27.

opposed to the UK Government's to tell tax credit cup by 2020 and

:30:28.:30:37.

50,000 Scottish has also been negatively affected. It will push

:30:38.:30:43.

more and more families into poverty. Can I ask what response if any you

:30:44.:30:48.

have had from the UK Government in relation to the Scottish

:30:49.:30:51.

Parliament's decisive vote opposing the two tells cap and a main -- rape

:30:52.:31:00.

clause. We have had no response from the UK Government at all. As we all

:31:01.:31:06.

know, the rape clause is a fundamental violation of human

:31:07.:31:09.

rights, it is disgraceful that despite serious concerns raised in

:31:10.:31:14.

this chamber, and a wide range of organisations including Rape Crisis

:31:15.:31:18.

Scotland, And Scottish Women's It, Gummer That The Uk Government

:31:19.:31:25.

Refuses To Reverse This Shameful Policy. To Assess Scottish

:31:26.:31:28.

Government Whether It Has Received A Response From The Uk Government To

:31:29.:31:33.

Is Request To Halt The Roll-out Of Universal Credit In Scotland

:31:34.:31:37.

Following Reports That The New System Is Pushing More People Into

:31:38.:31:45.

Hardship And Debt. Regrettably, the Secretary of State did not respond

:31:46.:31:49.

directly to this request. He has sent a five page report extolling

:31:50.:31:55.

the virtues of universal credit, which itself confirmed that the UK

:31:56.:31:57.

Government has no intention of halting the roll-out. The Minister

:31:58.:32:04.

is aware that universal credit is causing real hardship to individuals

:32:05.:32:07.

in the Highlands. An addition, Andrea 's art causing real hardship

:32:08.:32:13.

to the local council and a housing associations find themselves in the

:32:14.:32:16.

unenviable position of pressuring tenant through the courts for a debt

:32:17.:32:20.

that is not of their own making. Does the Minister agree with me that

:32:21.:32:23.

the situation is completely unacceptable and must be halted? Yes

:32:24.:32:30.

I do. I think the evidence is stacking up by the day that the

:32:31.:32:35.

roll-out of universal credit, in particular the built-in six-week

:32:36.:32:39.

delay, for which I cannot yet find any reasonable credible explanation,

:32:40.:32:45.

is beating particular strain and causing more hardship for

:32:46.:32:48.

individuals. We will ourselves in with the support of the DWP to apply

:32:49.:32:54.

our particular flexibilities, which will allow the direct payment of

:32:55.:32:59.

rent to landlords, and the choice of twice weekly payments, but even that

:33:00.:33:02.

does not get us all that the six-week delay, and again, we would

:33:03.:33:08.

as the UK Government is seriously consider halting the roll-out of

:33:09.:33:12.

universal credit until the series as of hardship that it is imposing an

:33:13.:33:16.

bringing to families in Scotland are considered properly.

:33:17.:33:22.

To ask the Scottish Government when its officials last met with Atos

:33:23.:33:33.

health care? On the 5th of April this year, to obtain an

:33:34.:33:39.

understanding of how Atos's views the assessment process operating in

:33:40.:33:44.

Scotland. There are no plans to meet again. I thank the Minister for that

:33:45.:33:50.

answer. Will the Scottish Government ruled out at this stage any

:33:51.:33:54.

involvement with Atos in the design and delivery of the new Scottish

:33:55.:34:01.

Social Security system? I thank the member for that question. I believe

:34:02.:34:06.

I have all ready done so in the statement I gave to Parliament on

:34:07.:34:09.

the new Social Security agency, we made clear we see no place in the

:34:10.:34:14.

assessment of benefits for private sector companies. Question 19, the

:34:15.:34:20.

member is not here. I hope there will be good reasons for her not

:34:21.:34:26.

being present. Question 20. John Mason. And I congratulate you on

:34:27.:34:33.

getting to question 20? I was not particularly anticipating it. You

:34:34.:34:36.

must never take things here for granted! What is the position on the

:34:37.:34:43.

outcome of the local government elections? Scottish ministers

:34:44.:34:48.

congratulate all councillors elected and welcome the role they fulfil for

:34:49.:34:54.

their communities. We are delighted that elections were conducted

:34:55.:34:58.

successfully and the election turnout at 46.9% was higher than the

:34:59.:35:05.

39.6% in 2012. We look forward to working with Scotland's

:35:06.:35:09.

democratically elected councils to take forward our priorities for the

:35:10.:35:13.

people of Scotland. I thank the Minister for that answer. There was

:35:14.:35:19.

considerable effort put into encourage people to mark the ballot

:35:20.:35:26.

papers one, two, three, four. On looking at papers apparently

:35:27.:35:29.

spoiled, it appeared a lot had either two or three Xs on them. Has

:35:30.:35:38.

the Minister any suggestions how we can tackle this problem by way of

:35:39.:35:41.

education or some other way? Thank you. The Electoral Commission

:35:42.:35:48.

already runs information campaigns to inform voters about how to cast

:35:49.:35:54.

their vote. In particular, a leaflet is delivered to every household

:35:55.:35:58.

before any election giving detailed guidance on how to cast your vote at

:35:59.:36:04.

that particular poll. In addition, an explanation is sent out with

:36:05.:36:08.

every postal ballot pack and large print exclamatory notices are

:36:09.:36:15.

exhibited in polling stations. Information is available wherever a

:36:16.:36:18.

ballot paper is being completed. In the home, at the polling station.

:36:19.:36:24.

Anyone unsure about how to vote can also contact the returning officer's

:36:25.:36:29.

office to ask for advice and polling station staff are also available to

:36:30.:36:39.

help. The SNP got 32% of the vote, the same as in 2012. It has flat

:36:40.:36:44.

lined. Labour was down in vote share and numbers of seats. I would like a

:36:45.:36:50.

question rather than a party political broadcasts. An extra

:36:51.:36:57.

proper sense. -- 12%. Would the Minister agree the real winners were

:36:58.:37:03.

the Scottish Conservatives? I think I can guess the answer. Go ahead.

:37:04.:37:12.

No, I would not agree. There was only one winner in last week's

:37:13.:37:15.

Scottish elections, that was the SNP. We had the largest amount of

:37:16.:37:23.

votes cast, the largest amount of councillors, the largest party on 16

:37:24.:37:28.

councils and joint largest in three others. We won in the four main

:37:29.:37:36.

cities. Let us be honest, there cannot only be one winner, it was

:37:37.:37:41.

not the Scottish Conservative Party, it certainly was not the Scottish

:37:42.:37:46.

Labour Party, those who got the most was the SNP. That concludes

:37:47.:37:49.

portfolio questions. The Cabinet Secretary will take

:37:50.:38:28.

questions at the end of the statement. No interventions. I will

:38:29.:38:32.

ask any members who wish to ask

:38:33.:38:33.

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