Health, Social Care and Sport Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Official Report 705KB pdf
Contents
- Attendance
- Decision on Taking Business in Private
- Subordinate Legislation
- Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 (Post-legislative Scrutiny)
Subordinate Legislation
Official Controls (Import of High Risk Food and Feed of Non-Animal Origin) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2024 (SSI 2024/12)
The next item is consideration of three negative instruments.
The purpose of the Official Controls (Import of High Risk Food and Feed of Non-Animal Origin) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2024 is to amend Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, which imposes a
“temporary increase of official controls and emergency measures governing the entry into the Union of certain goods from certain third countries”.
The policy note states that the instrument is required to give legislative effect to the minister’s decision with respect to the outcome of a review of the Commission implementing regulation, which lays down provisions that apply to certain high-risk food and feed commodities of non-animal origin on entry to Great Britain.
The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the instrument at its meeting on 30 January 2024 and made no recommendations in relation to it. No motion to annul has been lodged in relation to the instrument.
Do members have any comments?
This is to get clarity regarding consultation on the instrument. The policy note says that a six-week public consultation was launched on 17 July and closed on 28 August. Food Standards Scotland did not receive any responses to the consultation, but the Food Standards Agency received 13. I would be interested to know why Food Standards Scotland did not receive any responses and why the Food Standards Agency received 13. I know that the agencies work closely together to obtain information, but I would be interested to know how they publicise consultations. Do agencies write to the people whom they expect would respond? I would be interested to get a wee bit of clarity on why zero responses were received to Food Standards Scotland’s call for information.
I propose that the committee writes to the agencies involved and asks about the consultation process and how they intend to publicise consultations in the future. Do members agree?
Members indicated agreement.
Thank you. I propose that the committee make no recommendations in relation to the negative instrument. Does any member disagree?
Members: No.
National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2024 (SSI 2024/21)
The purpose of the National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2024 is to increase the value of savings credit disregard from £7.70 to £8.15 for a single person and from £11.45 to £12.10 for a couple and to increase the lower capital limit from £20,250 to £21,500 and the upper capital limit from £32,750 to £35,000.
The policy note states that savings credit disregard is increased in line with the increase in average earnings, which is currently forecast at 5.7 per cent, and that annual capital limits are increased in line with the consumer price index, which is forecast at 6.7 per cent.
The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the instrument at its meeting on 6 February 2024 and made no recommendations in relation to it. No motion to annul has been lodged in relation to the instrument. Do members have any comments?
Members: No.
I propose that the committee does not make any recommendations in relation to this negative instrument. Does any?member disagree?
Members: No.
National Assistance (Sums for Personal Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 (SSI 2024/22)
The purpose of the National Assistance (Sums for Personal Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 is to increase the value of the personal expenses allowance in line with average earnings, which is an increase of 5.7 per cent.
The policy note states that the allowance is usually increased each April at the same time that social security benefits are uprated. The allowance amount is the same whether an individual is resident in a local authority or independent sector home.
The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the instrument at its meeting on 6 February 2024 and made no recommendations in relation to it. No motion to annul has been lodged in relation to the instrument. Do members have any?comments?
Members: No.
I propose that the committee does not make any recommendations in relation to this negative instrument. Does any?member disagree?
Members: No.
We will briefly suspend for the witnesses to come in.
09:06 Meeting suspended.09:12 On resuming—