Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-14074

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 8 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to use the DWP Central Payment System for payment of social security assistance.

The Scottish Government’s priority is to ensure the safe and secure transition of the 11 benefits being devolved for the 1.4million people who rely on them. To support this and to ensure continuity of payment for citizens currently in receipt of assistance administered by DWP, we will use the DWP Central Payments System to make some payments of social security assistance alongside our own corporate finance and accounting system, while claims will be managed through the Scottish Government’s own IT system. This will allow us to deliver a reliable service and the flexibility to transfer to the Scottish Government payment system in the future. The decision to adopt this approach was made following detailed options analysis and joint feasibility study in partnership with DWP. Implementation of the use of the Central Payment System is supported by robust joint planning work and data share and service level agreements between Scottish Government and DWP as part of the social security programme.

Question reference: S5F-02035

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2018

To ask the First Minister how the UK Government's proposed changes to the support for mortgage interest scheme could impact on householders in Scotland, and whether it has asked UK ministers to pause the introduction of these changes.

Question reference: S5W-13765

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 31 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how much it paid the Department for Work and Pensions for the implementation of the flexibilities introduced by the Universal Credit (Claims and Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 2017.

The cost for the DWP to deliver the Scottish Universal Credit choices is determined by a model jointly built by the DWP and the Scottish Government based on how we expect people to take up the choices. This model takes a unit cost approach. It looks at the cost of different actions, such as someone taking up a choices digitally, or calling to ask about the choices, and multiplies these by the number of people who do this. The Scottish Government and the DWP has agreed an estimated unit cost of just under £2.50 for each choice that is administered for a new claim in 2017-18.

We will review this model and its assumptions and refine them in light of the management information the DWP is collecting for us, in order to agree a final cost for delivery of the choices once they have been live for 6 months. We will then review and update the model annually and adjust accordingly the cost to be paid to DWP each year. The Scottish Government will only pay for the actual number of choices offered and taken up.

Question reference: S5W-13766

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 25 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has discussed the use of automatic split payments for universal credit with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.

The United Kingdom, as the member state, is required to submit periodic reports to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women every 4 years. These reports detail the legislative and other measures which have been taken by the member state to implement the Convention. The Scottish Government routinely contributes to these reports.

As part of the Scottish Government’s contribution to the latest (8^th) UK periodic report published on 16 November 2017, we set out our concern that paying Universal Credit to households rather than individuals may perpetuate asymmetrical power relations between couples, and put women at greater risk of financial abuse, particularly disabled women.

The Scottish Government will use its new powers over social security to promote women’s economic equality and is currently considering the implications of different policy options for splitting payment of the Universal Credit award between members of a household in Scotland, including the use of automatic split payments.

Separately, the Scottish Government will shortly publish its Position Statement on CEDAW. This report, while not eligible for formal consideration by the UN Committee, gives an opportunity for the Scottish Government to set out more fully how it is working to deliver the enshrined CEDAW Articles covering all aspects of women's and girls' lives. In it the Scottish Government will include further detail on its position on UC split payments.

Question reference: S5W-13764

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 24 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it commissioned the Department for Work and Pensions to estimate the costs of introducing split payments for universal credit in Scotland, and when this took place.

Question reference: S5W-13750

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13138 by Jeane Freeman on 19 December 2017, whether the Framework Document has been finalised.

The Framework Document has not yet been finalised. It is expected to be finalised by Summer 2018.

The Framework Document once finalised will set out how the agency will operate and its relationship with the Scottish Government. It will describe the financial and wider accountabilities of the agency and its approach to staffing and other organisational matters. The Framework Document will be signed when the first form of assistance begins payment.

Question reference: S5W-13812

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13142 by Jeane Freeman on 18 December 2017, what information it has received from the Department for Work and Pensions regarding how many people have requested (a) twice-monthly and (b) direct payments for rent and services under the Universal Credit (Claims and Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 2017.

The Scottish Government has received management information from the Department for Work and Pensions on the number of requests for the Scottish Universal Credit choices in the period from 4 October 2017 to 31 December 2017. We are currently analysing the data and will publish it shortly on the Scottish Government website. We also intend to publish this management information on a regular basis thereafter.

Question reference: S5W-13749

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13223 by Jeane Freeman on 18 December 2017, whether the three-month bus pass for people aged 16 to 24 who have been unemployed for six months or more requires legislative change.

Question reference: S5W-13767

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what equality impact assessment it has conducted regarding the use of universal credit split payment flexibilities, and whether this considered domestic abuse.

Question reference: S5W-13768

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with stakeholders to (a) discuss and (b) develop potential policy options for delivering split payments for universal credit, and when these took place.

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