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With your indulgence, convener, I have one further question. There was a really good discussion there about overpayment, but does the risk of overpayment outweigh the benefit of allowing advance applications and advance payments? That question is to whoever can answer it.

Good morning to the witnesses, and thanks for your time. The programme for government committed to inflation-linked uprating for some benefits and referred to

“increasing the Scottish Child Payment, Funeral Support Payment and all disability and carers benefits in line with inflation.”

Do you expect all devolved social security benefits to be uprated in line with inflation? For completeness, do you expect the UK Government to uprate all reserved social security benefits in line with inflation? I put that question to Bill Scott.

Paul Traynor, do you want to comment? No. Okay. Back to you, convener.

I totally agree. The issue of overpayments is a real concern.

Judith Paterson, SCOSS made recommendations on the issue. Are you satisfied with the Scottish Government’s proposals to deal with overpayments?

Good morning. I thank the witnesses for their time. I will cover the issue of overpayments, but my general observation is that there is much to do after safe and secure transfer. Carers allowance has been around for a long time, and it does not meet the needs of carers. Given the long-standing flaws, has the UK Government made any efforts to consider major reforms?

The previous social security minister gave a commitment to groups with knowledge and experience that they would be involved in designing the new benefit. I had a meeting on that with the minister and Clydebank Asbestos Group in my constituency. Can you give a commitment that that will be acted on?

Industrial injuries disablement benefit has been pretty much left unreformed by the major Westminster parties, even though it came into effect in 1948. As usual, it is left to the Scottish Parliament to lead on positive reforms. When are you likely to publish a consultation on the new employment injury assistance scheme?

There are plans to make the conditionality regime worse, with disabled people now on the radar, yet the two main Westminster parties remain wedded to sanctions. In mitigation, the Scottish Government changed the Scottish welfare fund guidelines to allow crisis grants to be given to people who have been sanctioned. Are the Scottish Government and councils doing enough to promote the assistance that is available? In dealing with my mailbox, I certainly refer to the scheme.

We welcome further information being given to the committee.

I get that budgets are tight and are under pressure. Can you assure the committee, however, that the Scottish Government will never introduce a cap or a two-child limit on the Scottish child payment?