Hansard

That is possibly the first time that I have heard that point about the budget in relation to pace, which is interesting.

We could do a number of things differently in terms of the administration. We also need to work more closely with other Parliaments in the UK. Like my Conservative colleagues, we will support the Scottish Government’s motion. However, the fact that we have a UK Government that does not consider that a legislative consent motion is needed and a Scottish Government that does shows that there is significant confusion.

Those 313,620 people, who have been led up a hill and left waiting for years and years, are now being told to wait longer for substantial change. The same is true of child disability payment. Despite the process for new applications being fully operational here, safe and secure transfer will not happen until 2023. In addition, the SNP-Green Government has not set out a timetable for attendance allowance.

In the meantime, it is no wonder that there is disagreement between the Governments on what they need consent for, because they have been incapable of working together at pace. I say to the minister that we need to work at pace and together. Instead, the UK Government has created a confused system in which powers have been devolved to Scotland and the Scottish Government has sent some back, has asked the DWP to take care of others and has chosen a few on which to make some progress. It is clearly a messy arrangement that is not helping anyone. Frankly, it seems to me that nobody has a clue and that the Scottish people are paying the price. How on earth can the Governments expect people in Scotland to navigate this if they cannot?

We will support today’s motion, but I stress that I would far prefer to spend parliamentary time on social security legislation that would fundamentally and materially improve the lives of the people of Scotland, instead of spending time debating constitutional intricacies that have been caused by delays and confusion, which have left people without the support that they need. It is not good enough that neither Government can get this right. This is the second time in a week that we have faced the same type of motion and the same constitutional tug of war because neither Government is able to establish who has responsibility for what.

I recognise the policy and ideological differences between the SNP Government at Holyrood and the Tory Government at Westminster, but, although social security remains a shared responsibility, it is of the utmost importance that Governments talk to and engage with each other and stop wasting time on disagreements. That is the best chance that we have of getting things right—and doing so quickly—for the people of Scotland.