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We are engaging closely with people who have a lived experience of accessing disability assistance to co-design an application process that is straightforward, accessible, and enables individuals to put across the information they think best describes their daily lives.

We welcome the first forecasts for the Best Start Pregnancy and Baby Grant from the Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC).

The SFC report highlights the uncertainties around take-up rates and expenditure. There are particular uncertainties with these estimates given that this will be the first benefit to be administered by Social Security Scotland.

The SFC figures were lower than those previously published by the Scottish Government (SG). The main reason for the difference in forecasts is that SFC have assumed lower take-up rates than were used in forecasts previously prepared by SG analysts.

We welcome the SFC's commitment to review data as it becomes available to inform future forecasts.

The Social Security Experience Panels provided extensive input into the Disability Benefits Discovery work, particularly in relation to their experiences of the current system of assessments. This work has influenced the development of the contract, although they were not directly involved in the development of the Service Design contract or Prior Information Notice.

Our new social security system is being designed with people, not for them.

We are carrying out ongoing user research and we have also conducted research through our Experience Panel of people with lived experience of social security. A report on this research will be published in November 2018.

Social Security Scotland internal guidance on language is taking account of the emerging findings. This includes the use of the word ‘benefit’, which people have told us is the most widely and easily understood term for a form of social security assistance.

The Social Security Directorate spent £5.2 million in 2017-18 and has spent £9.6 million to date in 2018-19 on goods and services from the private sector.

Social Security Scotland was formally established as an executive agency of the Scottish Government on 1 September 2018. It has not yet made any payments to private sector suppliers for goods and services but expects to do so in 2018-19.

The Social Security Directorate and Social Security Scotland utilise a range of private sector suppliers. The Scottish Government regularly publishes the detail of all expenditure over £25,000, this includes details of the nature of the expenditure and the supplier for the Social Security Directorate. Social Security Scotland will also publish reports to provide transparency of expenditure over £25,000.

Accessibility and mobility access both to the interim buildings was a key criteria in arriving at the interim headquarters in Dundee and the office in Glasgow. A crucial component of this analysis was the accessibility of these buildings. The accessibility component considered the buildings themselves and their surrounding environments.

At the event held on 11 September, we had the opportunity to engage with a range of interested suppliers in order to help inform the service design procurement going forward.

The intended outcome is that the event will generate competition for the tender process and that any feedback received will be considered when refining the requirements prior to commencing a tender exercise.

The documents cited are subject to a non-disclosure agreement as they contain sensitive information that is not yet in the public domain.

The register of those attending the event is attached below.