Social Security

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at on 23 November 2016.

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Photo of Graham Simpson Graham Simpson Conservative

If Mr Adam had not been chortling at the back, I might have taken an intervention from him.

Scotland’s employment rate remains lower than that of the UK, and it is lower now than it was when the SNP first came to office: it stands at 59.2 per cent, which is lower than it was in May 2007, when it was 61.1 per cent.

Adam Tomkins, whom I have never seen play football and never wish to see play football, rightly accuses the SNP of playing political soccer over sanctions with those who refuse to play ball. We need to get real. If the goal is to get people off benefits and into work and on the best route out of poverty, sanctions or incentives must be part of the system. We all need to pull together on that.