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Is it fair to say that response times will continue to go up?

The pay parity issue is clearly very important because some staff and groups of staff have legitimate claims in relation to their treatment and issues around comparative pay.

However, from a public point of view, the backlog continues to be a major problem. There were additional Covid funds. There is always the answer that more resources are needed not just in one part but in all parts of the justice sector to address the backlog, but on what basis are you making your projections for what you expect to happen to backlogs? Some individuals who have come to the committee have described completely unacceptable backlogs in cases being dealt with. Can you outline your approach to that?

What is your projection around the percentage?

I want to ask about the extent to which we are currently still in a settling-in period. In your submission, you said that

“it was always expected that processing times would need a settling in period … while staff gain experience and new systems are introduced.”

You have said that, usually, it might take a member of staff up to a year to really get across the whole role. The child disability payment has been available nationally since November 2021, but there does not seem to be any indication that processing times are going down. Do you consider that we are still in the settling-in period in relation to that specific benefit?

I do not see it as being a comparator either, but claimants have said to me that their experiences with Social Security Scotland are worse than those that they had with DWP. They have also said that they did not believe that that could be possible. Do you agree that we need to ensure that we have the highest standards and the quickest processing times, and that the expectation is that the process will be better than it was with DWP? If DWP’s processes are getting better, I very much welcome that. How quickly can we expect better processing times for the adult disability payment?

I am just a little bit concerned by what you are saying and I wonder whether there is appreciation in the agency of how important it is for people to get money quickly. I very much welcome what you are saying about evidence that claimants are finding that the agency is treating them with more kindness and respect. If that is the case, that is a massive advance on where we were in the past.

As you know, however, the reality is that the reason why most people are claiming benefits is that they are in financial difficulties. Some people are in extreme financial difficulties, such that they cannot heat or eat. Can you reassure the committee that you understand the client group that you are dealing with, the importance of ensuring that cases are processed quickly and that people receive money quickly, for the reasons that I have given?

It would be very much appreciated if you could keep us closely advised. Thank you.

Can you indicate when you think processing times might start to come down for the child disability payment?

Thank you. Will you keep the committee advised about progress on that and whether there are specific problems? If you could proactively share that with us, that would be very helpful.

You will have seen that there has been a lot of publicity around the personal independence payment and the fact that decisions on it are currently being made more quickly than decisions on adult disability payments. Do you expect the gap to narrow over time, or do elements of the adult disability payment decision-making process mean that it is likely often to be lengthier than the process for decisions on the personal independence payment?

That is helpful to have on the record. Thank you.