Hansard

The Convener (Elena Whitham) SNP

Thank you very much. I look forward to working with the committee. This morning, we will consider three items of subordinate legislation, as outlined on the...

The Minister for Social Security and Local Government (Ben Macpherson) SNP

Good morning. Welcome to the committee, convener, and congratulations on your new role. Thank you for inviting me to give evidence on these important regula...

The Convener SNP

Thank you for that opening statement, minister. I know that my fellow committee members are passionate about this subject and they have many questions to put...

Marie McNair (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) SNP

Thank you, convener, and congratulations on your appointment. Good morning, minister. Is it the case that if the Westminster Government got rid of the 20m ...

Ben Macpherson SNP

Marie McNair is raising the important point about why the eligibility criteria that we are proposing need to be largely the same as those for PIP. The commit...

The Convener SNP

Thank you, minister. Marie, do you have anything further?

Marie McNair SNP

Yes, I have two further questions, convener. Minister, you are clear, and so is SCOSS, that safe and secure transfer must be the priority before any major ...

Ben Macpherson SNP

The independent review was announced by Shirley-Anne Somerville when she was Cabinet Secretary for Social Security, in recognition that, as we deliver the ad...

Marie McNair SNP

The changes to terminal illness criteria will make a huge difference. Not only is a time limit no longer required, which is fantastic, but the award is more ...

Ben Macpherson SNP

Marie McNair is absolutely right to highlight those important differences. Not so long ago, I was a member of the Social Security Committee during the progre...

Pam Duncan-Glancy (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab

Congratulations on your appointment as convener of the committee. I put on record my thanks to Neil Gray, who was an excellent convener. We will miss him, an...

Ben Macpherson SNP

I thank Pam Duncan-Glancy for her engagement and for her recognition of the significant changes that are being made. On the points raised about our being co...

The Convener SNP

Thank you, minister. I can see from the chat that Evelyn Tweed wants to come in. Is it on that point?

Evelyn Tweed (Stirling) (SNP) SNP

Yes, it is, convener.

The Convener SNP

Go ahead.

Evelyn Tweed SNP

Can you outline for the committee the Scottish Commission on Social Security’s view on how the Scottish Government is dealing with eligibility? What was its ...

Ben Macpherson SNP

That is an important point to raise. I know from the committee’s evidence on 16 December 2021 and from correspondence that I sent to the committee that you w...

Pam Duncan-Glancy Lab

I thank the minister for the points that he set out as a result of that question. However, I am not sure that he set out whether it is his intention to get r...

Ben Macpherson SNP

I will try to come back on as many of those questions as possible. Forgive me if you have to come back on some of them, given their extent. As I said, we ne...

Janet Richardson (Social Security Scotland)

Good morning, convener and committee members, and thank you, minister. I want to pick up on the point about the support that we are providing for clients wit...

The Convener SNP

Thank you. Minister, do you have anything further to add?

Ben Macpherson SNP

I want to bring in Nathan Gale to elaborate on some of the points that I made on psychological distress, safety and case law, which I hope will be helpful in...

Nathan Gale (Scottish Government)

Thank you, minister, and good morning, convener and members. Ms Duncan-Glancy raised an important point about the ability to do activities safely and the e...

The Convener SNP

Thank you very much for that. Minister, do you have anything further to add, or are we able to move on?

Ben Macpherson SNP

There is nothing further from me. I hope that the information that officials and I have provided has covered the points that Ms Duncan-Glancy wished us to co...

The Convener SNP

I am going to hand the talking stick over to Jeremy Balfour. I will hand it back to Pam Duncan-Glancy when we move on to the next theme.

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con) Con

Good morning, convener. I add my congratulations on your appointment. I look forward to working with you. I also wish Neil Gray all the best in his new role ...

Ben Macpherson SNP

Thank you, Mr Balfour. As you would expect, as new case law emerges, we regularly and consistently consider its application and its repercussions for all the...

Kayleigh Blair (Scottish Government)

Good morning, convener and members. I thank the member for the question. The minister is correct that, as case law emerges, consideration is given to how it...

Jeremy Balfour Con

I thank Ms Blair for that answer. Some of the key decisions around PIP and DLA have been made by the Supreme Court, so any decision that might be made by the...