- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 11 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out any assessment of the reasons for the majority of Job Start Payment applications reportedly being declined.
Answer
Analysis of management information shows that the most common reason for Job Start Payment applications being denied is that the applicant did not meet one or both of the key eligibility criteria i.e. that the applicant was not out of work and in receipt of a qualifying benefit for at least 6 months prior to being offered a job.
An initial evaluation of the benefit is currently being carried out which may shed further light on why applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria apply for Job Start Payment.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 11 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the process is, including any legislative requirements, for it to top up reserved benefits, and how this can be accelerated if required urgently.
Answer
Any new benefit intended to top-up reserved benefits would have to be developed with research and testing among potential users, and close collaboration with DWP and other stakeholders. For delivery of new benefits, we need to develop and test all application and case management systems to ensure households are able to apply, in addition to obtaining data from DWP and HMRC in order to process and administer the benefit. Any work of such nature is extremely complex and takes a considerable period of time to develop, build and deliver. It would require other priorities to be set aside.
New benefits also require legislation to be made by the Scottish Parliament. The procedures for scrutinising proposed legislation are set out in the Standing Orders of the Parliament. There may also be a requirement for amending regulations to be laid by the UK Government, to ensure that any new income provided by the top-up of reserved benefits does not affect entitlement to other reserved benefits.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 11 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the process is, including any legislative requirements, for it to top up (a) the Child Payment, (b) bridging payments for families with children over five, (c) child/adult disability assistance, (d) Best Start payments and (e) Winter Fuel payments, and how this can be accelerated if required urgently.
Answer
The Government’s spending plans are set out in the budget. We are already investing £361 million in Scottish benefits above the level of funding to be received from the UK Government through Block Grant Adjustments.
Increases to Scottish Child Payment, Adult Disability Payment, Child Disability Payment and Best Start Grant are made by Scottish Statutory Instrument under powers in the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018. Increases to Best Start Foods are made under section 13 of the Social Security Act 1988. The procedures for scrutinising proposed legislation are set out in the Standing Orders of the Parliament. Bridging Payments are made by local authorities on behalf of Scottish Ministers, the value of payments is set out in guidance to local authorities, published in April 2021.
In due course we will deliver the Scottish replacement for Winter Fuel Payment. It remains a reserved benefit until then.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported global manufacturing slowdown as a result of COVID-19, what action it is taking to mitigate any delays in the construction of accessible social housing, in order to ensure that disabled and older people have access to suitable properties.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to work closely with the construction sector, through the Construction Leadership Forum (CLF), to assess shortages of both materials and labour facing parts of the construction sector, including the manufacturing slowdown, and continue to be advised of developments in this regard.
We continue to work closely with our social and affordable housing delivery partners and to monitor progress on a project by project basis across the country through our network of area teams. This is a constantly changing position and we are working together to deliver warm affordable homes for the people who need them, including accessible social housing for disabled and older people, as quickly as it is possible to do so, and to make full use of the £3.6 billion five-year funding already secured to support the delivery of social and affordable housing across Scotland.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any delays within the construction industry in (a) general and (b) relation to (i) workforce and (ii) material shortages, and what action it is taking to mitigate the impact of any delays on the construction of social housing.
Answer
We set up a short life working group and worked at pace with industry to examine where the immediate shortages were most acute and to identify opportunities to remove barriers and build capacity within Scotland. A letter summarising the key findings from the Materials Shortage Working Group’s work was sent to the Economy and Fair Work committee on 25 January 2022 and has been published on the Scottish Parliament website. Details of this letter can be found in the following link:
Construction Materials Shortages Working Group | Scottish Parliament Website
Our Construction Recovery Plan , published in October 2020, recognises the importance of local supply chains and the use of sustainable materials to build necessary resilience in supply. Actions in the Plan are focussed on the development of our supply chains to maximise local economic and community benefits and are being driven forward by the Supply Chain Subgroup of the Construction Leadership Forum (CLF). The Plan also identifies short, medium and long term actions in relations to skills and workforce.
An online Construction Directory is due to be launched this year. This will help businesses make connections to Scottish suppliers.
More widely, our Supply Chains Development Programme is identifying opportunities to strengthen domestic supply chains, improve resilience, support net zero ambitions and help grow the Scottish economy.
We continue to work closely with our social and affordable housing delivery partners and to monitor progress on a project by project basis across the country through our network of area teams. This is a constantly changing position and we are working together to deliver warm affordable homes for the people who need them as quickly as it is possible to do so and to make full use of the £3.6 billion five-year funding already secured to support the delivery of social and affordable housing across Scotland.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what potential risks it has identified of underestimating the cost of the Adult Disability Payment.
Answer
The Scottish Government works closely with the Scottish Fiscal Commission to provide the data and information necessary to inform their forecasts.
The Scottish Fiscal Commission outlined the uncertainties of forecasting Adult Disability Payment in their August 2021 publication, which can be found at https://www.fiscalcommission.scot/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Scotlands-Economic-and-Fiscal-Forecasts-August-2021-Full-Report-Revised-October-2021.pdf . This includes a detailed sensitivity analysis and a description of the Adult Disability Payment forecast uncertainty.
The accuracy of these forecasts are reviewed and updated throughout each forecasting process, using the latest data and developments. The Scottish Government will continue to mitigate risks through taking a responsible and capable approach to Scotland’s finances.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that 130 Child Disability Payment applications, which did not exceed the six-week timeframe, did not progress to stage two, and what the reasons were for this.
Answer
The statistics that Social Security Scotland publish on Child Disability Payment applications are a snapshot in time. The high level statistics from the 26 July to 21 November 2021 show only part 2 application forms that were registered up until the 21 November.
Applications without a part two registered by the snapshot date can be due to applicants still being within the six-week time period following completion of a part 1 application, and a part 2 may be registered after this snapshot date. In such instances, part 2 applications will be reported in subsequent statistics publications and will still have the opportunity to progress. Those applications where a part 2 application is not submitted may be as a result of repeat applications or the applicant already being in receipt of Disability Living Allowance for Children.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish information on the reasons for Child Disability Payment applications not proceeding to stage two of the application process.
Answer
Social Security Scotland does not intend to routinely publish information on the reasons for Child Disability Payment applications not proceeding to part two of the application process.
Applicants have six weeks from the completion of part 1 of the Child Disability Payment form to complete part 2 of the application. There are various reasons why a part 2 application form may not be registered for Child Disability Payment applications. These can include where applicants make repeat applications whilst awaiting a decision or where applicants are already in receipt of Disability Living Allowance for Children.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether there have been any instances of Child Disability Payment applications not progressing as a result of staff error.
Answer
Information on whether an application has been subject to a staff error is not routinely reported as part of Social Security Scotland’s processes.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 16 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report on misogyny and criminal justice in Scotland, published on International Women’s Day, which calls for a Misogyny Bill for Scotland.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 16 March 2022
