Chamber and committees

I call Jeremy Balfour.

We will now move back to Foysol Choudhury, who is online.

We will move on to questions from Foysol Choudhury, who is joining us online.

That is fine, thank you, minister. Foysol, those points have already been covered. You can check the Official Report for that information.

We will now move on to theme 3. We are running slightly behind, so I ask members and the minister to keep questions and answers succinct and to the point.

If you could hold off just now, because I have a few supplementaries on the point that you just raised, I will come back to you.

Minister, can I clarify something on that last point? You said that the Scottish Government had originally wanted the data at the beginning of January. In future, will that be what we are looking to? Obviously, we do not know what will be happening—you mentioned the Scottish child payment in November and the DWP’s issues to do with the cost of living crisis—but is there scope to move the winter payment date forward in the coming year?

We have a few supplementaries on that point.

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the fourth meeting of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee in 2023. Our first item of business is a decision on whether to take item 6 in private. Do we agree to do so?

Members indicated agreement.

Thanks very much, minister. We will now move on to questions from members. Our questions will be directed to you but of course you are welcome to invite any official to respond. I will move to James Dornan, who is online, for theme 1.

Item 4 is formal consideration of motion S6M-07738. I invite the minister to speak to and move the motion.

Motion moved,

That the Social Justice and Social Security Committee recommends that the Social Security Up-rating (Scotland) Order 2023 be approved.—[Ben Macpherson]

Thank you.