Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-10535

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 30 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what access the Scottish social security agency will have to entitlement data for reserved benefits that are paid by the Department for Work and Pensions, and whether it has sought an agreement with the UK Government on sharing such information.

A legal basis for DWP giving data to the Scottish Government (and vice-versa) is provided by section 34 of the Scotland Act 2016. We are currently involved in on-going discussions with DWP officials around data sharing to determine where we need to put in place data sharing agreements. Each of the devolved benefits requires separate consideration as different information may be needed to support the administration of each benefit. All data sharing will be undertaken in line with the General Data Protection Regulation, which will come into force from 25 May 2018.

Question reference: S5W-10560

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 25 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the “steps to recover the debt” will be to recover assistance given in error, which is referred to in paragraph 61 of the Explanatory Notes for the Social Security (Scotland) Bill.

Question reference: S5W-10887

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5W-10538

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 15 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-10102 and S5W-09096 by Jeane Freeman on 31 July and 8 May 2017, whether it will answer the question regarding which section of the Social Security (Scotland) Bill ensures that, in the disability assistance assessment model, "there will be no contracting with the private sector"; for what reason its previous answers did not respond to this specific question, and whether it will confirm whether this issue is explicitly provided for in the bill.

I made a clear commitment in Parliament on 27 April that profit making companies will not be involved in delivering assessments for disability benefits once devolved to Scotland. This was also stated on 8 May 2017 through S5W-09096.

The Commitment I have made in this regard can be delivered, in full, without express provision in the Bill. The Social Security Bill has now been introduced to Parliament for appropriate scrutiny as we proceed to stage 1 of the Bill process following the summer recess period.

Question reference: S5W-10524

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 15 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether a person entitled to assistance as proposed under Chapter 2 of the Social Security Bill will have a right to choose if this assistance is given solely in the form of money.

Question reference: S5W-10318

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 31 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of it having the power to top up reserved benefits, for what reason the delegated powers memorandum for its Social Security Bill states that "Ministers wish the rate at which Carer’s Allowance is paid to match the rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance, but do not have powers to increase its rate, other than to uprate it for inflation".

Now that legislative competence has been transferred to the Scottish Parliament, Carer’s Allowance is no longer a reserved benefit that Scottish Ministers can top up by using the power provided at section 24 of the Scotland Act 2016. Instead, the Bill provides for a Carer’s Allowance supplement, using the powers provided for under section 22 of that Act, to increase that allowance to the level of Job Seekers Allowance at the earliest opportunity.

Question reference: S5W-10102

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 31 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the statement by the Minister for Social Security on 27 April 2017 (Official Report, c. 46), which section of the Social Security (Scotland) Bill ensures that, in the assessment model, "there will be no contracting with the private sector".

Question reference: S5W-10036

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 25 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to update the Scottish Welfare Fund statutory guidance to assist applicants and, if so, when.

The aim of the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) statutory guidance is to provide a framework for local authorities to promote consistency in decision making when administering Community Care Grants and Crisis Grants.

The SWF guidance is reviewed on an annual basis and the latest version was published on 1 April 2017, following consultation with a wide range of organisations, including the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), Shelter, Scottish Prison Service (SPS), Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO), local authorities and Citizens Advice Scotland. More recently, the Scottish Government published standalone SWF guidance for local authorities regarding assistance with housing costs for 18-21 years. SWF guidance can be accessed from the following link: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/People/fairerscotland/scottishwelfarefund/socialfund

Direct assistance for applicants who wish to apply for the Scottish Welfare Fund is available from local authorities as well as third sector organisations.

Further consideration is being given to the guidance in light of SPSO's annual report, published on 29 June 2017.

Question reference: S5W-09997

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 25 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the transition of the PIP mobility element as a first stage of the transfer of disability benefits, and whether it will seek to discuss this with the UK Government at the next meeting of the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare.

The UK Government’s regulations, which govern the transition of the disability benefits under the Scotland Act 2016, do not allow for separate elements of PIP to be transferred separately.

Scottish Government Officials have been in discussions with Motability with a view to making sure that the scheme is available in Scotland when we take on delivery of disability benefits. We understand that around 800 Motability vehicles a week are being taken away from disabled people across the UK, as a result of the transition to PIP. This is a matter of significant concern that we have raised with the UK Government.

The agenda for the next meeting of the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare is still to be agreed.

Question reference: S5W-10178

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 25 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what provision for passported benefits is made in the Social Security (Scotland) Bill from the seven types of assistance that are proposed.

The Scottish Government has made its position on passported benefits clear. For example, paragraph 127 of the policy memorandum published alongside the Social Security (Scotland) Bill states, in relation to disability assistance, that - “Passporting arrangements for all three of the benefits will continue”. That is why the Bill provides Scottish Ministers with powers to make provision, in regulations for each of the eight types of assistance that are proposed. This includes making provision for passported benefits.