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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-22241

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what questions it has put to the social security experience panels regarding automatic entitlement to disability assistance, and what responses it has received.

Research was undertaken with Experience Panel members regarding automatic entitlement in July and August 2018. The findings were published on 29 November 2019 and can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/social-security-experience-panels-award-duration-automatic-entitlement/ . A visual summary is also available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/social-security-experience-panels-award-duration-automatic-entitlement-visual-summary/ .

Question reference: S5W-22079

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of statements in its Social security case transfer: policy position paper, on what date discussions with the DWP on case transfer commenced.

Question reference: S5W-22070

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement in its position paper on Cold Spell and Winter Heating Assistance (WHA) that "We propose this WHA payment is consistent with the current Winter Fuel Payments made by the UK Government at £200", whether WHA will differ from the current Winter Fuel Payment scheme regarding payments of (a) £300 to someone who is over 80 and lives alone, (b) £200 to someone who is under 80 and lives with someone who also gets Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Income Support and (c) £300 to someone who is over 80 and lives with someone who also gets Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Income Support.

Question reference: S5W-22071

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 March 2019

Question reference: S5W-22045

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether light-touch reviews will be part of the assessment process for disability assistance for older people.

The Consultation on Disability Assistance in Scotland, which launched on 5 March 2019, set out our policy proposals around Disability Assistance for Older People, light-touch reviews and assessments.

We do not intend to conduct face to face assessments for Disability Assistance for Older People, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Across the different forms of Disability Assistance, we will use an approach that is supportive, person-centred and minimises stress and anxiety. It is anticipated that light-touch reviews will be carried out by Social Security Scotland without having to see the person in the majority of cases.

Question reference: S5W-22091

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comments in its duration of awards and automatic entitlement for disability assistance policy position paper, other than by way of a change of circumstances, what standard of evidence will be required to justify a review before the indicated award review date as a result of information being provided to Social Security Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-22057

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the statements in its position paper on Short Term Assistance, for what reason it decided to use the civil legal test of "balance of probabilities" to determine whether to reduce or stop an individual's payments during a fraud investigation, and whether it considered using the criminal legal test as part of this decision.

Question reference: S5W-22088

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comment in its severe disablement allowance (SDA) position paper that, "In 2018 a survey was issued to Experience Panel members inviting them to share their experience of SDA. Although only a small number of responses were received, members did not raise any significant concerns or identify areas for change", which panel report contains the responses, and whether it will publish the background or source data.

Question reference: S5W-22089

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comments in its duration of awards and automatic entitlement for disability assistance policy position paper, how it defines non-engagement with a light-touch review, and on what other occasions Social Security Scotland will have the power to stop a person's disability assistance.

Question reference: S5W-22084

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comment in its disability assistance assessments policy position paper that "we therefore intend to provide a proportion of assessors with additional training in the impact of mental health conditions and learning disabilities", what proportion of assessors will have this additional training, and how this will compare with the current proportion of assessors with such training.