Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 12:48 pm on 30 May 2024.
Rona Mackay
Scottish National Party
12:48,
30 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that disabled people who receive Scottish social security benefits are treated lawfully, in light of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s reported investigation into the treatment of some disabled benefits claimants by the United Kingdom Department for Work and Pensions. (S6O-03504)
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
We have very serious concerns over the UK Government’s treatment of people applying for disability benefits, so I welcome the investigation. The Scottish Government has taken relevant public sector equality duties into account throughout the development of disability assistance, which has been assured through processes of drafting and publishing comprehensive equality impact assessments.
The Government is committed to undertaking such assessments with every new policy that impacts on disabled people. Scotland’s social security system is designed on the principles of dignity, fairness and respect. Those are the values of this Government and of the people of Scotland.
Rona Mackay
Scottish National Party
Will the Cabinet secretary expand on specific measures that are in place to ensure that the assessment processes for Scottish social security benefits adhere to those principles of fairness, dignity and respect for disabled claimants? How do those measures differ from those used by the UK Department for Work and Pensions?
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
I was pleased to hear about the real difference that the new system in Scotland is making when I was on one of my most recent visits to Forgewood community centre in Motherwell. There, I heard directly from carers and from people who they care for about the difference that it makes having no private sector assessments as part of the system and having a system that has been designed with people to maximise the benefits that they are entitled to, given that social security is a human right. That compassionate approach is in stark contrast to the DWP’s approach.
Maggie Chapman
Green
It is clear that our social security and benefits ambitions in Scotland have a quite different foundation from those elsewhere on these islands, but we must continue to improve. What work is being undertaken to ensure increased and improved understanding of chronic but very variable conditions across our social security system, so that people do not have their needs judged based on their best days but are instead supported to cope and thrive on their worst days?
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
Maggie Chapman raises an important point that was raised by many people when we were designing child disability payment and adult disability payment. They felt that the application system and the assessment process did not work for people with variable conditions. That is exactly why we went through a consultation process to design our current system with people who have that experience, to ensure that the application form and the way in which decisions are taken are the best that they possibly can be for those people. It is clear that the system is still new, and we will have more to learn, but we are determined to do that.
Liam McArthur
Liberal Democrat
Question 6 has been withdrawn.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
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