Social Justice
The next item of business is portfolio question time. Question 1 has not been lodged.
Volunteering (Wellbeing Benefits)
To ask the Scottish Government how it is working to promote the benefits of volunteering, in light of the recent research from Volunteer Scotland indicating that regular participation in volunteering can have wellbeing benefits worth approximately £1,000 per person per year. (S6O-04537)
I welcome the publication of the research and recognise the positive impact that volunteering has on people’s wellbeing. That is why Scotland’s volunteering action plan aims to create a Scotland where everyone can volunteer more often and throughout their lives. The 10-year plan, which has been co-produced with the third sector, seeks to increase volunteering participation. To support the plan, the Scottish Government provides direct funding to national and local intermediaries, including Volunteer Scotland. I am also pleased to announce that this year we will invest £1.1 million in the volunteering support fund to support people who experience barriers to their volunteering.
Given the concerning fall in volunteering participation, we must ensure that volunteers are treated well and that standards are upheld. Will the cabinet secretary advise how the Scottish Government is ensuring that funding for third sector organisations supports volunteers’ involvement that is aligned with the principles of the volunteer charter? Will she join me and representatives from volunteer organisations at the next meeting of the Parliament’s cross-party group on volunteering to discuss the issues that the sector faces?
The Scottish Government encourages the use of the volunteer charter, which was developed by Volunteer Scotland and the Scottish Trades Union Congress and sets out the 10 principles for the foundation of a good volunteer experience, exactly as the member mentioned. Foysol Choudhury is quite right to point out the value of volunteering to the individual, the third sector and our communities, but it is right that it is done in a way that respects, encourages and supports volunteers. I would be happy to meet the member, in whichever fashion he would like, to discuss those matters further.
Social Security (Impact of Spring Statement)
To ask the Scottish Government what impact it believes the United Kingdom Government’s spring statement will have on the provision of social security in Scotland. (S6O-04538)
The United Kingdom Government’s planned welfare reforms prioritise spending cuts over the welfare of sick and disabled people. I am disappointed that it chose not to engage with the Scottish Government before announcing those reforms. Initial indications are that the changes will reduce the block grant funding that we can expect to receive for social security benefits in 2029-30 by £408 million. Given the scope and scale of those changes, I am urgently seeking clarification from the UK Government on its proposals and how they will interact with the devolved benefits.
New analysis from the London School of Economics has found that the UK Government could lift 700,000 children out of poverty overnight if it were to match Scotland’s investment in social security. Poverty campaigners are crying out for the backward Labour UK Government to get its priorities right and look to Scotland instead of slashing benefits and putting renewed financial pressure on devolved budgets. Will the cabinet secretary provide an update on any communication with her UK counterparts to ensure that our work to eradicate child poverty in Scotland is not undermined further by Westminster austerity?
David Torrance is quite right to point out the impact on the Scottish Government budget and, most importantly, on individuals, by whom I mean disabled people and their carers. That is why the Scottish Government’s first priority is to call on the UK Labour Government to scrap the proposed changes. Imposing austerity on the backs of disabled people and their carers is disappointing at any time, but it is particularly disappointing when it comes from a UK Government.
I am deeply concerned about the direction of travel of the UK Government’s child poverty task force, whose credibility has been drastically undermined by the changes that have been announced.
I will continue to press for meetings with the UK Government at ministerial and official levels so that we can discuss those issues and work with disabled people and their carers to ensure that there are no changes such as the ones that have been planned by the UK Government.
I understand that a review of the adult disability payment in Scotland is on-going and that it will issue its report this autumn. Does the cabinet secretary think that that is an opportunity for us to have a whole look at the ADP, its criteria and how it could work better for disabled people in Scotland?
As Jeremy Balfour has alluded to, the ADP review is on-going and is independent of Government; it is led by Edel Harris. The whole point of that is to ensure that ADP is examined and to see how it can be improved. However, that is even more difficult when we are facing cuts to personal independence payment from the UK Government, which will impact on the Scottish Government’s budget. We have approached the question of how to deliver the adult disability payment in the best possible fashion by working with disabled people under that independent review. That is exactly what the independent review is undertaking at the moment, and I look forward to its final report from Edel Harris in due course.
Social Security Scotland (Effectiveness)
To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the effectiveness of Social Security Scotland. (S6O-04539)
As an executive agency, Social Security Scotland is part of the Scottish Government. Oversight arrangements are in place in the form of a portfolio accountable officer, who scrutinises performance and progress against aims and objectives. Social Security Scotland provides regular statistics and publishes an annual report on accounts, alongside a report from Audit Scotland. The charter measurement framework provides evidence on delivery of the commitments in our charter. I receive updates on performance from the chief executive, and the agency’s effectiveness is clear. Its latest client survey shows that 90 per cent of people rated their experience as “good” or “very good”.
The Scottish Fiscal Commission’s budgetary forecasts highlight an ever-growing gap between the amount of money that the Scottish National Party Government receives to finance devolved benefits and the amount of money that it spends. In 2023-24, the Scottish Government spent £198 million more on devolved benefits than it received from the UK Government. In just three years, the gap is expected to triple to £619 million. In terms of performance and progress, does the cabinet secretary believe that that is sustainable?
Sue Webber raises an important point about the sustainability of expenditure on social security. She talked about the numbers in relation to our investment in social security—and it is an investment—so let us be clear that that goes to those on low incomes, disabled people, carers and those who receive support through winter fuel benefits.
Sue Webber criticises the Government for spending on people on low incomes, disabled people and carers. I wonder where exactly she would like to see that money being taken from. What group of people would the Scottish Conservatives like to take from? We spend more money because of the Scottish child payment. Is that what she would like to see cut? We spend more money because we have additional payments that go to carers. Is that what she would like to see cut?
Of course we will work on the fiscal sustainability of the Scottish Government overall, including on social security, but, as well as talking about big numbers, the Conservatives need to talk about people and be up front with people when they are talking about cuts. They are talking about cuts for some of the most vulnerable in our society.
The Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2025, which was passed by the Parliament last year, is proof of the commitment to continually improve the Scottish social security system in action. Reserved UK benefits are about to be gutted by a fresh round of Westminster austerity, so does the cabinet secretary agree that the Labour UK Government would do well to study Scotland’s social security principles before it pushes any further with its damaging programme of welfare reforms?
Questions must be on matters for which the cabinet secretary has responsibility.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. As I have mentioned in previous answers, we are exceptionally concerned about the decisions of the UK Government, because they will have a direct impact on our budget and will have implications even for some reserved changes, such as to the work capability assessment. We simply do not know at the moment what the implications will be for devolved benefits.
It goes back to first principles. We see investment in supporting people, particularly some of the most vulnerable people in our society, as a genuine investment. It is disappointing that the UK Government seems to be viewing social security as the way to make savings to balance its self-imposed fiscal rules.
An important part of the effectiveness of Social Security Scotland is the uptake of Scottish benefits. As the cabinet secretary knows, around 84,000 young Scots—around 15 per cent of them—are not in work, education or training, and we know that that can have lifelong effects on people. The Scottish Government’s job start payment is designed to support people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are out of work and receiving low-income benefit for six months prior to finding employment. It has an uptake rate of just 21 per cent, according to the latest statistics. How confident is the cabinet secretary that that payment, which Social Security Scotland is operating, is being targeted to support people into employment and is as effective as we need it to be?
Paul O’Kane is right to point to job start payment. It is an important part of our social security work to support young people into employment. The uptake issue is a challenging one.
I am sure that Paul O’Kane will be aware that the statutory underpinning of job start payment means that it is very different from the rest of our social security payments. We had to undertake specific work with the Department for Work and Pensions to allow us to have the job start payment at all. The situation is exceptionally difficult, because if we want to make changes to the eligibility criteria, they must be allowed by the UK Government. That makes it challenging to increase uptake by, for example, making it simpler to apply for the benefit or making the eligibility criteria simpler so that the benefit can be accessed by more people.
We are keen to continue to work with the Department for Work and Pensions and, in particular, with job centres to ensure that young people who might be eligible for job start payment are made aware of it and of the timeframe. Members have a responsibility and the opportunity to raise awareness of that important benefit.
House Building
I apologise for being a few minutes late for the start of the session, Presiding Officer.
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to increase house building. (S6O-04540)
We are progressing a series of strategic and targeted actions to support the delivery of more homes at pace, with a particular focus on unlocking stalled sites and providing brokerage. Good progress is being made across the 23 actions in the Government’s “Planning and the Housing Emergency—Delivery Plan”, and we are working in close collaboration with industry and other stakeholders.
The 2025-26 budget includes £768 million for the affordable housing supply programme, helping to tackle the housing emergency and contributing towards our target of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032. Since 2007, we have supported the delivery of more than 136,000 affordable homes.
The statistics do not paint an impressive picture. Starts and completions are down for the third successive year, private sector starts are at their lowest level since 2013 and we have a cumulative shortfall of more than 100,000 homes since 2008. The industry body Homes for Scotland says that “urgent action” is required on planning and regulatory reform to try to progress matters. It has raised the issue that, four months on from the Scottish Government announcing a housing planning hub, there have been no tangible outcomes to date. When will progress be made?
A matter of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of participating in the housing to 2040 strategic board meeting, where I had the opportunity to discuss the planning hub with Homes for Scotland and other members of the board. At that time, we talked about the work that has been done under the leadership of the chief planner, particularly on stalled sites and brokerage, which is already paying dividends. As the member will be aware, the planning hub also has a responsibility for and focus on offshore wind. However, we are moving forward with work on stalled sites and brokerage.
We are working with Homes for Scotland on individual sites to ensure that, where something can be done, it is being done. I point the member to the number of planning applications that have been passed but for which the sites are not being built on. We are working with Homes for Scotland to understand that because, when a planning application has been passed, it is preferable if it is built out, for the private development and for the affordable homes that will be attached to it.
I am pleased that, under the Scottish National Party Government, almost 137,000 social and affordable homes have been completed across Scotland, leading the way in the United Kingdom on the provision of warm, safe homes. Can the minister confirm how many such homes have been completed in Midlothian?
Has someone written his question for him?
I am sure that Craig Hoy will be delighted by the answer, if he is interested in it—because he did not appear to be interested in the question.
From 2007 to the end of December 2024, the affordable housing supply programme helped to support the delivery of 3,532 completions across Midlothian, of which 70 per cent were for social rent.
I recently had the pleasure of visiting Colin Beattie’s constituency to meet tenants and to meet Wheatley Homes East to discuss the new development at Rosewell. It is a fantastic example of the investment that the Government has put through charitable bonds, and further developments are taking place there. The development is a high-quality scheme that was provided by that registered social landlord. I was pleased to meet the tenants, who are enjoying their new homes in the member’s constituency.
The big decline in new starts and completions is a clear indication that the previous leadership and policy on housing was part of the problem.
I have lodged some constructive amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Bill to encourage investment in housing. They are designed to accelerate house building during the housing emergency. Is the cabinet secretary open to supporting those amendments?
The member knows that I am always happy to meet him to discuss his amendments and the other proposals that he has made on housing. I thank him for the constructive way in which we have had those discussions to date.
I assure him that the Minister for Housing and I are taking a very close interest in the amendments that have been lodged. I would be happy to meet the member to continue those discussions, ahead of the votes in the committee on the bill. I would be very happy if, not only on those amendments but in the wider context of the housing emergency, we could share the endeavour across the chamber to find solutions.
Social Security (Projected Spend)
To ask the Scottish Government how much it projects to spend on social security by 2029-30, including how much of this it estimates will arise from Barnett consequential funding. (S6O-04541)
Based on the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s latest forecast, the Scottish Government anticipates spending £8.9 billion on social security in 2029-30.
Following the United Kingdom Government’s spring statement, updated block grant adjustments have been calculated by HM Treasury. They show that the Scottish Government will now receive £408 million less funding through the BGA in 2029-30 as a result of the UK Government’s announcements on welfare reform. The updated BGA forecasts show that £6.9 billion of the expenditure in 2029-30 will be covered by social security block grant adjustments; the remainder will be found from the Scottish Government budget.
In a bid to plug what is set to become a £2 billion benefits-induced budget black hole, the Scottish Government says that it will reform public services. This year, the Scottish National Party has set aside £30 million for an invest-to-save scheme. Can the minister say in what areas the Government will be looking to make savings in the social security portfolio? How much is she estimating to save as part of that process?
Social Security Scotland and all parts of the Government are looking seriously at the proposals that we can take forward for the invest-to-save fund, which is an exceptionally important piece of work.
To reassure the member, I point to the fact that, when we compare the administration costs of Social Security Scotland with those of the Department for Work and Pensions, once pensions costs have been taken away—in other words, if we look at the benefits situation—we see that Social Security Scotland comes out of that comparison very well. That demonstrates that it is possible to have a system that is both robust and humane.
Investing in our people and communities through social security will be vital if we are to achieve the First Minister’s central mission of eradicating child poverty in Scotland. This week, the London School of Economics and Political Science found that the UK Government could cut child poverty by a sixth if it chose to match Scottish Government policies. Will the cabinet secretary lay out how much Social Security Scotland payments could be worth to a low-income family as they raise a child and how life-changing that investment could be?
I thank Karen Adam for that question, because it gets to the heart of how our investment in social security supports people in Scotland. The Scottish Government’s five family payments, which include the Scottish child payment, best start foods and best start grants, could be worth more than £10,000 by the time an eligible child turns six, and around £25,000 by the time an eligible child turns 16. That compares with a figure of less than £2,000 for families in England and Wales, where support ends when an eligible child turns four.
That support is in addition to the wider support that we provide for families, which includes the child winter heating payment, the carers allowance supplements and the on-going mitigation of the UK Government’s benefit cap, all of which is provided to put money in the pockets of the families who need it most.
Question 7 has not been lodged.
Rural and Islands Housing Fund
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to provide continuity of funding through the rural and islands housing fund. (S6O-04543)
The demand-led £30 million rural and islands housing fund continues to play an important role in providing support to community organisations, private landowners and others to deliver affordable homes where there is identified need, and it complements the significant delivery in rural and island areas by councils and registered social landlords through our mainstream affordable housing supply programme.
My officials continue to actively support a significant pipeline of projects in the rural and islands housing fund system in order to maximise the number of projects that gain tender approval for delivery of affordable rural and island homes through the fund.
The cabinet secretary will be aware that community development projects are key to tackling the housing crisis in rural and island areas. Those projects rely heavily on the rural and islands housing fund but, although councils and housing associations benefit from resource planning assumptions that provide at least some security across elections, no such guarantees apply to community development projects, which may face a potential cliff edge next year. If such projects are forced to cease work during an election year, they lose valuable time, expertise and resources.
Given the urgency of the housing crisis in communities such as Orkney, community development projects cannot afford to see progress jeopardised next year, so will the cabinet secretary take steps to ensure the continuity of the rural and islands housing fund through 2026 and into 2027?
Liam McArthur raises a very important point, and I want to reassure him that no decision has been taken to close or end that fund. As I mentioned in my original answer, a healthy number of pipeline projects have already gone through the initial expressions of interest stage and have been invited to progress.
I recognise the point that Liam McArthur makes and the importance of the types of projects that he mentioned, not only for his constituency but for other parts of the country. I will be happy to update him further in writing. Should he wish to have a meeting to discuss what more can be done not only for community development projects but for other areas in which island communities might want further changes to be made, I would be more than happy to discuss any funding flexibilities that we can provide or improvements that we can make in the scheme that he mentioned and in other areas.
That concludes portfolio question time.
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