Universal Credit (Roll-out)

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at on 3 October 2017.

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Photo of Miles Briggs Miles Briggs Conservative

No. I do not have time.

The system provides high-quality support to help people to find employment. It is designed to take into account a claimant’s changing circumstances. The principle behind it has genuine and broad cross-party support, as we have heard today. No one is talking about going back to the old system. The evidence clearly suggests that universal credit can work and is making a difference. People who claim universal credit are 13 per cent more likely to be in work than those claiming jobseekers allowance, and are more likely to move into work within nine months of their claim, more likely to work on more days and are, on average, earning more.

To conclude, I welcome the UK Government’s action this week to address key concerns around people’s experiences of roll-out. As Conservative members have done from the outset, I urge the UK Government to continue to engage with stakeholders—including MSPs who have legitimate concerns—as we go forward. I hope that we can all unite around making universal credit a success in the future, and that it can help more people into employment—which is surely what all of us in this Parliament want.

I support the amendment in the name of my colleague, Adam Tomkins.