Current status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether any payments made by the Republic of Ireland's Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme will be disregarded for the purpose of awarding means-tested entitlements, such as help with care charges and Scottish Welfare Fund payments, in line with current practice for similar payments, such as from the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme.
The Scottish Government welcomes the commitment made by the UK Government on 13 March 2026 to disregard payments under the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme. Correspondingly, reflecting our position that compensation payments can be disregarded where appropriate in the consideration of means-tested entitlements, work can progress in Scotland to consider specific disregards in respect of the Scheme.