Chamber and committees

The result of the division is: For 6, Against 2, Abstentions 0.

Amendment 29 agreed to.

Section 9—Liability of individual for assistance given in error

Amendment 30 moved—[Shirley-Anne Somerville]—and agreed to.

Section 10—Liability of individual’s representative for assistance given in error

Amendment 31 moved—[Shirley-Anne Somerville]—and agreed to.

Section 11—Consequential modification of the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973

Amendment 32 moved—[Shirley-Anne Somerville]—and agreed to.

Section 12—Liability of individual’s estate

Amendments 33 and 34 moved—[Shirley-Anne Somerville]—and agreed to.

Section 12, as amended, agreed to.

Section 13—Assistance given in error: reviews and appeals

Amendments 35 to 50 moved—[Shirley-Anne Somerville]—and agreed to.

Section 13, as amended, agreed to.

After section 13

Amendment 51 moved—[Shirley-Anne Somerville]—and agreed to.

Will you talk about pressing or withdrawing your amendment?

I am now giving you some latitude, Mr Balfour. Please draw your remarks to a close.

The question is, that amendment 1 be agreed to. Are we agreed?

Members: No.

The question is, that amendment 2 be agreed to. Are we agreed?

Before I bring in the cabinet secretary, I will make a brief contribution, which the cabinet secretary might reflect on in her reply.

I understand that there are already plans for the Scottish Government to extend the run-on of the benefit. Does that require to be detailed in the bill? Is it a policy decision, with a budget implication, that can be taken at a later date? Irrespective of how long we wish the support payment to run for, I wonder whether it requires an amendment to be placed in the legislation.

I call Jeremy Balfour to wind up and press or withdraw amendment 3.

The result of the division is: For 2, Against 4, Abstentions 2.

Amendment 5 disagreed to.

Welcome back, everyone. Our stage 2 considerations continue. We move to the next group, on uprating assistance for inflation. Amendment 6—[Interruption.] You are having a bad day when you get things right and the clerks are still checking on you.

Amendment 6, in the name of Jeremy Balfour, is the only amendment in the group.

As no other member wishes to speak at this point, I ask the cabinet secretary to wind up.