- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of comments by the Minister for Social Security in the Daily Record on 24 January 2018, whether the “once-for-Scotland” approach referred to would entail no face-to-face assessment for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), in the event that this is not required by the Scottish Ministers for the purposes of assessing for disability assistance.
Answer
Employment Support Allowance (ESA) is reserved to the UK Government and we have no powers over ESA assessments at present. If further social security powers were devolved to the Scottish Government, we would be able to consider the coherence of the system and the experience of the individuals being assessed.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 27 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01753 by Jeane Freeman on 31 January 2018, which stated that it will “reduce the need for face to face assessments” in respect of devolved disability assistance, and in light of comments by the Minister for Social Security in the Daily Record on 24 January 2018, whether it will publish a policy paper detailing the “once-for-Scotland” approach proposed.
Answer
The Scottish Government remains committed to reducing the need for face to face assessments for disability benefits and is working closely with the Disability and Carers' Benefits Expert Advisory Group, our experience panels and relevant stakeholder groups to identify appropriate evidence identification and gathering systems and protocols to support the intention to significantly improve decision making. Our assessment for disability benefits could potentially be used as a starting point by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), if it wished, in making an assessment for Employment Support Allowance (ESA). However, we would be clear that this would only be with the agreement of the individual and the necessary data protection measures in place.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the analysis of, and its response to, the Consultation on Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People and Modern Apprentices.
Answer
There has been a considerable response to our consultation on the National Concessionary Travel Scheme, with over 2,800 members of the public and more than 100 organisations offering their views. We are considering all the views expressed during the consultation process carefully and expect to publish our analysis and the responses to the consultation in the near future.
The Scottish Government’s response to the consultation will set out how we intend to proceed and will be issued following the publication of the analysis.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13690 by Jeane Freeman on 17 January 2018, who is compiling the evaluation, and on what date it will be (a) completed and (b) published.
Answer
An evaluation of the Benefit Uptake campaign is being compiled by the Scottish Government’s Marketing team. It is based on information supplied by Citizens Advice Scotland and data taken from pre and post campaign tracking carried out by Kantar TNS, an independent research agency.
The evaluation report will be completed and published on the Scottish Government’s website before the end of the financial year.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13690 by Jeane Freeman on 17 January 2018, what information it has received from Citizens Advice Scotland regarding the uptake; on what date this was received, and whether it will publish this in full, including on its website.
Answer
The Scottish Government has received the following information from Citizens Advice Scotland related to the Benefits Uptake campaign, which ran in October 2017:
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Calls to national campaign helpline during the campaign period
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Visits to the Benefits help page on the CAS website
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Number of older people’s benefits checks carried out during the campaign period and estimated total financial gain for those clients where there has been a confirmed increase in benefit uptake
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Results of social media activity carried out by CAS to support the campaign.
The Scottish Government has worked in close partnership with Citizens Advice Scotland during this campaign, with campaign data being shared regularly since launch, and continues to do so. The most recent data (with an updated total for the estimated financial gain) was received from CAS on 9 February.
This information is currently being analysed alongside other evaluation from the campaign, such as campaign reach, motivation, changes in awareness and attitudes and key message uptake.
A campaign evaluation report will be published on the Scottish Government’s website before the end of the financial year.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Northern Ireland Government's Department for Communities regarding the design and capabilities of its Household Income Database, as detailed in the document, Supporting People - Maximising Income through the Uptake of Benefits, which was published in September 2016.
Answer
Scottish Government officials have been in discussion with the Northern Ireland Department for Communities about the design and capabilities of its Database for Income Modelling & Estimation (originally known as the Household Income Administrative Database). The Scottish Government is working with the Administrative Data Research Centre (Scotland) and academics to explore the possibilities of developing a similar database for Scotland.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 19 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide a substantive answer to question S5W-13765, which received a holding response on 24 January 2018, and what the reason is for the delay.
Answer
The Parliamentary question (S5W-13765) was answered on
31 January 2018.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 19 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-13768 and S5W-13762 by Jeane Freeman on 22 January 2018, which organisations attended the four meetings.
Answer
The organisations that attended the four meetings (1 September, 2 October, 30 October and 15 December 2017) to discuss how best to split payments of Universal Credit between members of a household are set out in the following table. The table also includes those organisations who were invited, but were unable to attend, and the annotation (*) indicates that they submitted written comments instead.
We will continue to engage with stakeholders as we develop the policy on split payments, including seeking the views from people with direct experience of Universal Credit.
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1 September
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2 October
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30 October
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15 December
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Attendees
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One Parent Families Scotland
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12 customer advisers from 11 different Citizen Advice Bureaux in Scotland
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Engender
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Citizens Advice Scotland
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Hillhead Housing Association
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Zero Tolerance
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Child Poverty Action Group
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Child Poverty Action Group
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Scottish Women’s Aid
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Engender
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CoSLA
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Shakti Women’s Aid
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Zero Tolerance
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Chartered Institute of Housing
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Inclusion Scotland
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Scottish Women’s Aid
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Scottish Federation of Housing Associations
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Child Poverty Action Group
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Shakti Women’s Aid
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Citizens Advice Scotland
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Cemo Scotland
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Enable Scotland
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Scottish Women’s Aid
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Engender
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Enable in Scotland
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National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers
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Apologies
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Carers Trust*
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Inclusion Scotland
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CoSLA*
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Scottish Federation of Housing Associations*
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Families need fathers
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* Submitted written comments
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 19 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13764 by Jeane Freeman on 24 January 2018, when this work was commissioned.
Answer
On 25 October 2016 the Scottish Government published on its website a Memorandum of Understanding between the Scottish Government and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on joint working arrangements for the implementation of devolved powers, including the Universal Credit flexibilities. It sets out a framework for co-operation and collaboration, including the development of policy and delivery options.
In line with this approach, the Scottish Government will continue to engage in discussions with the DWP on the feasibility, operational and cost implications of different policy options for splitting the payment of Universal Credit between members of a household.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 January 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 8 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to use the DWP Central Payment System for payment of social security assistance.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s priority is to ensure the safe and secure transition of the 11 benefits being devolved for the 1.4million people who rely on them. To support this and to ensure continuity of payment for citizens currently in receipt of assistance administered by DWP, we will use the DWP Central Payments System to make some payments of social security assistance alongside our own corporate finance and accounting system, while claims will be managed through the Scottish Government’s own IT system. This will allow us to deliver a reliable service and the flexibility to transfer to the Scottish Government payment system in the future. The decision to adopt this approach was made following detailed options analysis and joint feasibility study in partnership with DWP. Implementation of the use of the Central Payment System is supported by robust joint planning work and data share and service level agreements between Scottish Government and DWP as part of the social security programme.
