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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 14 November 2024
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Displaying 1054 contributions

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Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 27 January 2022

Jeremy Balfour

It would be helpful to know how long the review will take and when it will go back to you and the Parliament. Thank you. I have no further questions, convener. [Interruption.]

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 27 January 2022

Jeremy Balfour

Thank you. Minister, you said that one reason why we cannot change the eligibility criteria is that that might affect passported benefits. How many meetings have you had with the UK Government and the DWP to discuss whether that is the case and what line the DWP is taking on that? What individual discussions have you had with Westminster Cabinet ministers or other ministers?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 20 January 2022

Jeremy Balfour

No, thank you, convener. I am done.

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 20 January 2022

Jeremy Balfour

Good morning, minister, to you and your team.

I will ask more—I suspect that you might want to write to us, rather than answer us today—about the medical reports that you will get from consultants, GPs and other medical professionals. We received a letter from Social Security Scotland a few weeks ago, from which it is unclear to me whether there is a legal obligation or a contract for medical professionals for when people write to get medical evidence. How much will that cost either the individual or Social Security Scotland and is there a set fee? My experience is that it has sometimes been very difficult to get medical evidence because of the pressure that medical professionals are under. Could you give us a wee bit more information—either today or in writing—on whether a legal obligation has been set up for doctors, nurses and other medical professionals to provide information, and on what happens if a GP says that they will not provide that information, for whatever reason?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 20 January 2022

Jeremy Balfour

I am grateful to the minister for that. I will be interested because our understanding is that there is not something set up, so it will be helpful to get more information.

I have a final question on suspension. Obviously, if, in the end, the agency takes away a person’s benefit, there is a right of appeal. Appeal can take a number of weeks, if not months. Can the minister reassure me that, if a person is successful in appeal, all the payments will be backdated? Is there a mechanism to fast track appeals so that people are not left in financial crisis?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2022-23

Meeting date: 13 January 2022

Jeremy Balfour

I am not quite sure that I got an answer. I actually asked how it will be paid for. Perhaps we can return to that at our next meeting.

I have a small but important point to make. At the moment, those who are on PIP and disability living allowance receive an extra £10 Christmas payment from the DWP. Will that be included in the Scottish Government’s new adult disability payment. If so, how much will it cost, and will that be funded through the Barnett formula or will the Scottish Government have to find extra money?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2022-23

Meeting date: 13 January 2022

Jeremy Balfour

I want to cover two areas with you, cabinet secretary. The first follows on from Miles Briggs’s questions about new housing. You and I appeared in a BBC slot on housing, in particular the number of the houses that have been built for those with disability. How much money has been allocated specifically for housing that will meet the needs of those with not only physical disabilities but all forms of disability? What target are you looking to set for the number of new houses being built that will have that feature built in?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2022-23

Meeting date: 13 January 2022

Jeremy Balfour

I have another area to cover, which is third sector funding. After Kate Forbes’s budget statement in December, I asked her a question and she indicated that there would be a change to third sector funding so that it would be done not yearly but three yearly. Can the cabinet secretary update us on what conversations are happening with the third sector? When and how will that change be implemented?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2022-23

Meeting date: 13 January 2022

Jeremy Balfour

I would be grateful if you would come back to us.

I think that you said that all new developments will be open to anyone with a disability. Clearly, that cannot be the case, because if it were, every new block of flats would have to have a lift in it. If someone who has a wheelchair buys a flat on the top floor, they can only access that through a lift.

When you come back to us, can you tell us whether you are looking to set a target of a specific number of houses that will be accessible to those with disabilities? Given that 25 per cent of new housing developments has to be affordable housing, are you having conversations with developers about the percentage of houses that have to be built that are fully accessible to disabled people, or are you leaving it to the developers to make that decision?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2022-23

Meeting date: 13 January 2022

Jeremy Balfour

Good morning, cabinet secretary, and happy new year. I have two or three questions on the adult disciplinary payment. First, there seems to be a funding gap of around £750 million that will build up in the social security budget over this session of Parliament. What future proofing work are you doing, and how do you think the Scottish Government will make repayments?