Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 18 May 2022
18 May 2022 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Supporting Carers (Cost of Living)
I really need to continue, but I will come back to the minister if I have time.
We also need to ensure that allowances for carers are handled efficiently and effectively. The statistics for December show that just 3 per cent of claims were settled within 10 days, while complaints to Social Security Scotland soared by 200 per cent in two years. We are calling for unpaid carers in full-time education to receive the carers allowance immediately and for unpaid carers to continue receiving carers allowance for up to six months after bereavement.
As Gillian Martin said, there is the not so small matter of more than £1 billion coming to the Scottish Government from the UK health and social care levy. That must be passed on in full, and there should be a clear audit trail so that we can see how the money is spent and so that Audit Scotland can ensure that public money is spent properly.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-04441, in the name of Jackie Baillie, on supporting carers during the cost of living crisis. 14:55
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
I am grateful for the opportunity to hold this debate. There is no doubt that we face a cost of living crisis the likes of which we have not experienced in a...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You need to wind up, Ms Baillie.
Jackie Baillie
Lab
I will come to a conclusion, Presiding Officer. None of that should be a surprise to the SNP Government. It does not need to spend months and years delibera...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I advise members that we are tight for time, so I require that colleagues stick to their time allocations. I call Kevin Stewart to speak to and move amendmen...
The Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care (Kevin Stewart)
SNP
I thank carers—paid and unpaid—for their remarkable work in providing critical and invaluable support to people across Scotland. The Tory cost of living cri...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
Will the minister give way?
Kevin Stewart
SNP
I will carry on for the moment, because I have a lot to get through. From April, we have provided funding of £200 million to local government to support inv...
Pam Duncan-Glancy (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
What would the minister say to the 51 per cent of local authority staff who earn below £25,000 a year and for whom the figure for a pay increase that is on t...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
I say to everyone right across the country that at this moment we require an emergency budget from the Tory Chancellor of the Exchequer to address the cost o...
Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
Is not it right to say that the private companies are being squeezed, and that they cannot pass on money that they do not have? If that were to be sorted out...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
No, I do not think that all private companies are being squeezed during the cost of living crisis. Some companies are making huge profits. Why should the Gov...
Jackie Baillie
Lab
Will the minister give way?
Kevin Stewart
SNP
No—I need to crack on. We have improved support for Scotland’s unpaid carers as a priority, using our social security powers. Our carers allowance supplemen...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I call Sandesh Gulhane to speak to and move S6M-04441.1. You have five minutes, Dr Gulhane. 15:08
Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
The minister seems to think that private companies that are providing care to our most vulnerable are making vast amounts of profit. I would welcome an examp...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I call Michelle Thomson.
Michelle Thomson (Falkirk East) (SNP)
SNP
I forget the exact name of Robert Kilgour’s private care homes, but I think that he funds the Tory party to the tune of £220,000 a month. Perhaps you can ask...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Members should speak through the chair. I call Dr Gulhane.
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
Well, I believe that your facts and figures, like everything to do with SNP and facts and figures, are all wrong. Let us move on. The pandemic exacerbated...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
Will Dr Gulhane give way?
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
I need to crack on. The knock-on impact is increased anxiety, depression and mental health exhaustion. We have a duty to act to get a grip, and we need to...
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
SNP
Does Dr Gulhane think that the national insurance hike is helping or hindering with regard to the cost of living crisis?
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
We need to be clear that the increase in national insurance is coming this way through the Barnett consequentials to help us here in Scotland.
Kevin Stewart
SNP
Will Dr Gulhane give way on that point?
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
I really need to continue, but I will come back to the minister if I have time. We also need to ensure that allowances for carers are handled efficiently an...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
Dr Gulhane could do us all a favour if he would join with me and ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when we will actually catch sight of that money. How muc...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Dr Gulhane.
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
It is clear that there is a lot of money coming our way—
Kevin Stewart
SNP
Where and when?