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I will bring in Jeremy Balfour, and I believe that Bob Doris would also like to ask a question.

That is helpful. Based on what we have heard, it seems that there are many more requests for redeterminations and appeals for adult disability payment than for other benefits. Why do you think that that is?

Katy Clark will ask the next questions.

Jeremy Balfour has a supplementary question.

A very good morning, and welcome to the 12th meeting of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee in 2024. We have received no apologies.

Our first item of business is a decision on whether to take agenda items 3 and 5 in private. Are we agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

Our next agenda item is an evidence session on the client experience of Social Security Scotland’s redetermination and appeals process. The committee held its first evidence session on the issue on 28 March, with organisations that support clients. Today, we will hear from Social Security Scotland and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service.

I welcome Gayle Devlin, deputy director for health and social care at Social Security Scotland; Tim Barraclough, executive director for tribunals and the Office of the Public Guardian with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service; and Lesley Black, director for tribunals with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. Thank you all for accepting our invitation.

I have a few points about the format of the meeting. Please wait until I, or the member asking the question, say your name before speaking. I ask everyone to keep questions and answers as concise as possible.

I will move straight to questions. The first one is on the theme of getting decisions right first time. I will ask Gayle Devlin about the impact that the local delivery service is having on ensuring that clients provide full information in their initial application form. Is the agency monitoring whether contact with local delivery is reducing the likelihood of redeterminations?

I believe that questions on hearings have been allocated to Marie McNair, so perhaps you could focus more on the applications and the forms, Mr Barraclough.

I will quickly bring in Jeremy Balfour.

Thanks very much.

That brings our questions to an end. Thank you for attending our meeting. The committee will reflect on the evidence that has been heard and will consider its next steps.

That concludes our evidence session and our public business for today.