4. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to alleviate poverty in Scotland, in light of reports that the United Kingdom is in violation of international law in relation to poverty levels. (S6F-02511)

The Scottish Government is allocating almost £3 billion to support policies that tackle poverty and protect people as far as possible during the on-going cost of living crisis this year. That includes delivering our game-changing Scottish child payment and tripling our fuel and security fund to £30 million.

While the Westminster Government signs up to prolonged austerity, this Government will continue to use every single available lever to lift people out of poverty. We know the devastating impact that UK Government measures are having in driving more people into poverty, so it is no surprise, frankly, to hear that the United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights has stated that the UK Government is in violation of international law over poverty levels. It is, however, shocking. We agree with the UN that universal credit is “grossly insufficient”. That is why we continue to call on the UK Government to introduce an essentials guarantee, thereby ensuring that social security adequately covers the cost of vital essentials.

Y esterday, the Trussell Trust released astonishing figures showing that 1.5 million emergency food parcels were distributed across the UK between April and September—the most parcels that the network has ever provided over the summer months. That is a 16 per cent increase UK-wide, but it has been mitigated to 9 per cent in Scotland. That is further evidence of the utter misery that is being caused by what the UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty called the Tories’ “grossly insufficient” welfare system. Does the First Minister agree with me that the UK Government must introduce a universal credit essentials guarantee immediately, and that the only way to protect people in Scotland from Westminster’s cruel policies is for this Parliament to have the full powers of an independent country?

Members:

Oh!

The First Minister:

C ollette Stevenson speaks powerfully about evidence from the Trussell Trust, but all we hear is groans and moans from the Conservative benches, as happens when the Trussell Trust or poverty are mentioned. That tells its own story, does it not?

I agree with Collette Stevenson that the UK Government must urgently fix the fundamental flaws with universal credit that are driving destitution and driving up food-bank use. The Trussell Trust report is “astonishing”, as Collette Stevenson said. It makes it clear that the UK Government’s social security system is one of the driving factors that is pushing people towards hunger. That is why this Government supports calls for an essentials guarantee to be applied to universal credit and other reserved benefits, to ensure that social security benefits adequately cover the cost of vital essentials.

Would it not be far better if we were able to extricate ourselves from a Westminster system that is causing such immense harm to our people? It would be far better if we stopped having to take money from health, education and transport to mitigate Westminster harm and instead had the full powers of an independent country—not just to reduce poverty but to eradicate it.