Chamber and committees

Some of the evidence that we have taken in previous evidence sessions suggests that, once you are in the system and you are unable to pay, there is something almost mechanistic about it and you end up with legal action being taken against you. From a local authority perspective, is there any way of the process being adapted so that, if you cannot pay, you do not suddenly end up in the sheriff court, or do local authorities simply take that approach because those procedures are in place?

Thank you.

It is primary 7 from August.

Good morning, everyone. I have a very quick question that follows up Emma Jackson’s point about MAPs and insolvency. What are the negative sides to going down that road? It is obviously a way out, but if a client goes for insolvency or enters a MAP, what are the long-term negative points for them, or are there none?

You might not know the answer to this, so I am putting you and the others on the spot. My understanding is that changing the timescale would require primary legislation. Is that correct?

Can you clarify your comment about it being 10 years before someone can enter a new MAP? Maybe the other witnesses can write to the committee with their answers. What timescale would you be looking for? Would it be three years, four years, or what?

Good morning. Thank you for what you have said so far. I am pleased to say that my first lot of questions have been answered, so I have only one. I will direct it to Charlene Kane, but others can jump in if they want to.

My question relates to local administration of the Scottish welfare fund. In the previous parliamentary session, we took evidence from various charities on whether the welfare fund should be more centralised or work within local authorities. Is more guidance on how the money is to be spent needed? We are aware that some local authorities spend their budgets quickly while others seem to have money left over at the end of financial year.

From your experience, Charlene, how easy is it to access the welfare fund? Would you like there to be more guidance on how the money should be spent nationally while still being delivered locally?

My questions were covered there, so I have nothing else.

I want to follow up on that. It is very helpful to hear that you will be carrying out a review. Roughly when will that review take place? Perhaps you can write to the committee once it has started, as I am sure that we would want to look at how the child payment is working once it has been rolled out. Do you have a rough date for when the review might happen?

We live and breath this day in, day out, but there are lots of people out there who want that reassurance, so that is really helpful.

Could I seek clarification? You helpfully said that people who have long-term conditions will not have to go through the same assessment period for PIP as they do at the moment under the DWP. When people are transferred, if they are, say, two years away from a review, will they be told that that review will not need to take place? How will you make that decision about those who are already on PIP and are coming up for a review two or three years down the road? Will they be told at that point that the review will not take place or will that happen once everybody has been transferred?