Seòmar agus comataidhean

I am conscious of the time, so I will move on to part 7 of the bill. Do witnesses agree with the principle of compensation recovery, and is it consistent with the social security principles? I will go to Diane Connock and Richard Gass.

On part 8 of the bill, what further regulations should be added to SCOSS’s remit and why?

We move to theme 9, which is the principles of social security.

Our next agenda item is an evidence session on the Social Security Amendment (Scotland) Bill. The bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 31 October 2023 and is currently at stage 1. It amends the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 to make changes to the Scottish social security system. Its general aims are to enhance the Scottish system of social security, including by improving the experience of people using the service that Social Security Scotland provides; delivering increased efficiency and value for money; implementing the findings of an independent review into the remit and operation of the Scottish Commission on Social Security; and revoking the emergency provision that was inserted into the 2018 act in 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Our first evidence session will provide general context and a good overview of all eight substantive parts of the bill, and we have a panel of witnesses with expert knowledge of how the social security system works. I welcome to the meeting Jon Shaw, who is a welfare rights worker with the Child Poverty Action Group Scotland, and Erica Young, who is a policy officer for social justice with Citizens Advice Scotland. They are joining us in the room.

We also have Michael Clancy OBE WS, director of law reform at the Law Society of Scotland; Diane Connock, advice services and welfare reform team leader at Stirling Council; and Richard Gass, welfare rights and money advice manager at Glasgow City Council. They are joining us remotely.

Thank you very much for accepting our invitation. I have a few points to mention about the format of the meeting before we start. I ask that, before speaking, you please wait until I, or members asking the question, say your name. Do not feel that you have to answer every question. If you have nothing to add to what has been said by others, that is perfectly okay.

I ask our witnesses online to please allow our broadcasting colleagues a few seconds to turn your microphone on before you start to speak. You can indicate with an R in the chat box in Zoom if you wish to come in on a question.

I ask everyone to keep questions and answers as concise as possible. We will start with the questions now and will try to finish at about 10:30.

I am happy for us to write to the cabinet secretary in that regard. The clerks will note that in the report, too.

The second question theme concerns applications for assistance, and John Mason will lead on it.

Michael Clancy and Diane Connock want to come in.

In that case, we will move on to theme 4, which is overpayments.

That is very helpful.

That is the correct answer.

Marie McNair wishes to come in. We will conclude our business after that.

Thank you very much, Jeremy.