Motion
Delivering Record Social Security Investment in Scotland to Tackle the Cost of Living Crisis and Inequality
S6M-12079 · Motion For Debate · lodged by Somerville, Shirley-Anne
Lodged on
05 Feb 2024Heard / answered on
07 Feb 2024Watch the chamber session on SPTV · lands on the meetings recorded on 07 Feb 2024
That the Parliament believes that social security plays a vital role in tackling poverty and reducing economic and social inequalities, and that the Scottish social security system must have dignity, fairness and respect at its heart; welcomes the Scottish Government’s record investment of £6.3 billion in social security expenditure in 2024-25 and that the Scottish Fiscal Commission has forecast that this is an investment of £1.1 billion more than the funding received from the UK Government through the social security block grant; notes that this investment includes the Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods, as well as the landmark, and extended, Scottish Child Payment, which is estimated to lift 50,000 children out of relative poverty in 2024; recognises that £614 million of Scotland-only benefits are being delivered in 2024-25, which is support that is unparalleled across the UK; further recognises the substantial difference that Social Security Scotland is making through improved disability and carers benefits; notes that Scottish Government support is being delivered despite continued UK Government block grant cuts and continued UK Government austerity, and calls on the UK Government to drop planned Work Capability Assessment changes, introduce an essentials guarantee and immediately scrap the two-child cap and the associated so-called rape clause.
Backed by
Supported by 3 additional MSPs
SNP 2
Green 1
Lodged by
Somerville, Shirley-Anne
(Scottish National Party).
- Harvie, Patrick (Green)
- McLennan, Paul (SNP)
- Roddick, Emma (SNP)
Final vote on motion (no amendments carried)
07 Feb 2024
Carried
Show MSPs
For
62Against
51Abstain
0Not voted
16Amendments were lodged but none were carried; the motion was decided as originally lodged.
Computer-generated best guess
Possible final motion text as originally lodged
This is a computer’s best guess at applying carried amendments to the original motion text. It uses simple text rules for phrases such as “insert at end”, “after X insert Y”, and “leave out from X to end and insert Y”. Treat it as an aid, not the official motion text.
That the Parliament believes that social security plays a vital role in tackling poverty and reducing economic and social inequalities, and that the Scottish social security system must have dignity, fairness and respect at its heart; welcomes the Scottish Government’s record investment of £6.3 billion in social security expenditure in 2024-25 and that the Scottish Fiscal Commission has forecast that this is an investment of £1.1 billion more than the funding received from the UK Government through the social security block grant; notes that this investment includes the Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods, as well as the landmark, and extended, Scottish Child Payment, which is estimated to lift 50,000 children out of relative poverty in 2024; recognises that £614 million of Scotland-only benefits are being delivered in 2024-25, which is support that is unparalleled across the UK; further recognises the substantial difference that Social Security Scotland is making through improved disability and carers benefits; notes that Scottish Government support is being delivered despite continued UK Government block grant cuts and continued UK Government austerity, and calls on the UK Government to drop planned Work Capability Assessment changes, introduce an essentials guarantee and immediately scrap the two-child cap and the associated so-called rape clause.
In the Official Report
Debated in chamber — 6 contributions reference this
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The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Chamber
· 07 Feb 2024 · Meeting of the Parliament 07 February 2024
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-12079, in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville, on delivering record social security investment in Scotland to tackle the cost of living crisis and …
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The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Chamber
· 07 Feb 2024 · Meeting of the Parliament 07 February 2024
There are four questions to be put as a result of today’s business. I remind members that, if the amendment in the name of Jeremy Balfour is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Paul O’Kane will …
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The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Chamber
· 07 Feb 2024 · Meeting of the Parliament 07 February 2024
I remind members that, if the amendment in the name of Jeremy Balfour is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Paul O’Kane will fall. We come to the vote on amendment S6M-12079.2, in the name of J…
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The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Chamber
· 07 Feb 2024 · Meeting of the Parliament 07 February 2024
The next question is, that amendment S6M-12079.1, in the name of Paul O’Kane, which seeks to amend motion S6M-12079, in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville, on delivering record social security inves…
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The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Chamber
· 07 Feb 2024 · Meeting of the Parliament 07 February 2024
The next question is, that motion S6M-12079, in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville, on delivering record social security investment in Scotland to tackle the cost of living crisis and inequality, be…
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The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Chamber
· 07 Feb 2024 · Meeting of the Parliament 07 February 2024
The result of the division on motion S6M-12079, in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville, on delivering record social security investment in Scotland to tackle the cost of living crisis and inequality,…
Amendments and how the chamber decided
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S6M-12079Selected itemCarried 62/5105 Feb 2024 · Motion For Debate · Somerville, Shirley-AnneThat the Parliament believes that social security plays a vital role in tackling poverty and reducing economic and social inequalities, and that the Scottish social security system must have dignity, fairness and respect at its heart; welcomes the Scottish Government’s record investment of £6.3 billion in social security expenditure in 2024-25...
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S6M-12079.1Linked amendment/itemDefeated 18/9406 Feb 2024 · Amendment · O'Kane, PaulAs an amendment to motion S6M-12079 in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville (Delivering Record Social Security Investment in Scotland to Tackle the Cost of Living Crisis and Inequality), leave out from "Government's" to end and insert "Child Payment; notes the stubbornly high waiting times for Child Disability Payment, where the median processing time was ...
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S6M-12079.2Linked amendment/itemDefeated 30/8506 Feb 2024 · Amendment · Balfour, JeremyAs an amendment to motion S6M-12079 in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville (Delivering Record Social Security Investment in Scotland to Tackle the Cost of Living Crisis and Inequality), leave out from "; welcomes" to end and insert ", but notes with extreme concern that the Scottish Fiscal Commission reports that, by 2027-28, the Scottish Government will ...