The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 225 contributions
Criminal Justice Committee, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Social Justice and Social Security Committee (Joint Meeting)
Meeting date: 26 September 2023
Roz McCall
I understand that. Thank you. I have no more questions.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 21 September 2023
Roz McCall
We have skirted around this issue already, but I would like to put a bit more detail on it. My question is for Bill Scott, and also for Emma Congreve, if you would not mind making just a wee comment.
In your submission, Bill, you say, on raising revenue, that in addition to prioritising spend, the Scottish Government will need to “raise additional revenue” to make full use of its devolved tax powers. Can you explain your views on how the Government does not currently utilise its tax powers and tell us what your tax working group is considering?
I put it to you that there is a tax structure that could be used and that changing to that structure would be within devolved tax powers. I am interested in whether you think that that is worth looking at.
There is a little bit of a mix there, but I would be grateful, Bill and Emma, if you could come back on that.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 21 September 2023
Roz McCall
Marie McNair has raised some valid points with Judith Paterson and Fiona Collie. As Judith Paterson said, overpayments are an inevitable consequence, but we are looking at how Social Security Scotland can minimise the issue. That raises the question of what we do when there is an inevitable consequence. What do you suggest that we should do when overpayments occur? We are talking about what we need to do, but I am interested in what you think we should do.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 21 September 2023
Roz McCall
Thank you, Bill. I am sorry to cut in, but I am really interested in hearing what Emma Congreve has to say. I have got the gist of what you are saying, but, if I do not have a chance to hear Emma, we will have to move on.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 21 September 2023
Roz McCall
Good morning. The regulations as laid provide for full-time young carers in non-advanced education to access carer support payment in exceptional circumstances, such as when they have no parental support. Is that sufficient? Does the eligibility need to be widened?
One of my concerns is about societal stigma. What are your comments on that, given that the process touches on someone being without parental support? How do we widen eligibility if a stigma is attached, and how do you combat that? I am looking at Fiona Collie, but I would not mind hearing from Paul Traynor and Maggie Chiwanza as well, especially on stigma.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 21 September 2023
Roz McCall
I will rephrase my question slightly. My understanding is that the complexities would add to the stigma, and I just really wanted your comments on that. Do you agree that that is the situation?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 14 September 2023
Roz McCall
I note that the remit of the inquiry is child poverty and parental employment. I whole-heartedly accept the child poverty aspect, but with parental employment, as much as we need to monitor what is happening in that respect, we must also ensure that there is a long-term process in place. You have talked about positive destinations, but with positive destinations in education, say, we might be talking about only three to six months. The real issue is long-term sustainability. Are we tracking that properly? Do we see getting parents back into employment as not just a positive move but a positive long-term process? Indeed, are we able to monitor all that properly, so that we know that we are doing what we are meant to be doing on the ground?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 14 September 2023
Roz McCall
I really appreciate the cabinet secretary coming back on that point, and I understand that, but we have specific Barnett consequentials for childcare coming through, because of the expansion programme at Westminster. I am wondering whether that will all be allocated—I want to ensure that it is all put across.
I appreciate the cabinet secretary coming back on this matter, I appreciate the points that have been made and I accept that money has been made available for childcare, but that should be a simple process.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 14 September 2023
Roz McCall
Thank you for coming to talk to us, minister. You know what I am going to raise. We have had Barnett consequentials for rural that did not make it to rural, and we have had Barnett consequentials for swimming pools that did not quite make it to swimming pools, so you can understand my concern. It is really important to know about Barnett consequentials coming from the UK Government for childcare expansion. Can I have some guarantee that the funding will definitely go to childcare expansion, given how important it is to move that forward?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 14 September 2023
Roz McCall
It is very important to me that active change is made. I want to highlight the Government’s employment offer to support 12,000 parents into work and achieve a 2 per cent reduction in child poverty by 2026. How is the impact of that employment offer being evaluated, given that it includes other services, such as childcare and transport, as well as employability support? What assurances can you give that the target timeframe will be met, given that it is such an important subject?