Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-22266

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether an individual can seek a re-determination or review of a decision of Social Security Scotland not to provide a home assessment.

The circumstances outlined in the Consultation on Disability Assistance in which the Agency may invite a person for a face to face assessment are consistent with section 14 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018. The circumstances outlined in the consultation are those where an assessment may be the only practical way to obtain information. The approach outlined in the document has been informed by previous consultation and it is supported by advice from the Disability and Carers Expert Advisory Group. Question 64 of the Disability Assistance consultation requests any further comments consultees wish to make relating to Disability Assistance not specifically covered by the consultation document. This question allows consultees to provide any comments on areas they have not had the opportunity to provide.

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-22082

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 the statement in its Social security case transfer: policy position paper, that "We expect to complete the case transfer by 2024... This will be subject to DWP agreeing to match our pace", whether the expected 2024 completion date is liable to delay if the DWP does not agree to its case transfer proposal; when it first sought the DWP's agreement to the 2024 completion date, and when it expects to reach agreement with the DWP.

The Scottish Government has been discussing the arrangements for safe and secure case transfer with DWP since June 2018. We are committed to working with existing benefit recipients and stakeholder organisations to ensure that we do not repeat the mistakes of previous benefit transfers. We will conduct further research with those with lived experience of the benefits system and with stakeholders and will use this to inform joint work between both governments on our overall approach to case transfer. The delivery of devolved social security is a joint project between Scottish Government and UK Government. It is critical that DWP is able to match our pace of delivery in order to achieve the delivery dates announced in our recent Wave 2 statement, including case transfer.

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

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 only be paid at a rate of £200.

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-22219

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 whether disability assistance case managers will be trained to (a) have specialist knowledge regarding a single or small number of conditions or (b) take a generalist approach with a knowledge of a wide number of conditions.

Question reference: S5W-22090

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comment in its duration of awards and automatic entitlement for disability assistance policy position paper that, "There may be occasions where Social Security Scotland needs to instigate a review before the indicated award review date. Although these occasions are anticipated to be rare they would include where information is provided to Social Security Scotland that suggests the client’s circumstances have changed", what protections will be in place to ensure that a person who is entitled to social security does not have their case reviewed as a result of malicious complaints.

Social Security Scotland is under an obligation to protect public funds. When an allegation is made, there may be no way of knowing whether it has been done with malicious intent. All investigations will therefore be carried out under a presumption of innocence.

Where evidence gathered during an investigation shows there is substance to an allegation, an individual will always be given an opportunity to explain the circumstances before any further action is taken. A review of entitlement would only be undertaken if evidence suggested that it was necessary.

Question reference: S5W-22093

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 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, what the minimum review period will be for a person's live case to be transferred from the DWP.

The Scottish Government will use feedback from the current Disability Assistance consultation to inform its approach to case transfers. The Scottish Government is undertaking specific consultation with the Experience Panels in relation to case transfers and will set out its approach in relation to each form of Disability Assistance in due course. This approach will seek to cause minimal disruption for clients and to balance the transfer of clients at pace with delivering their benefits safely and securely. We will honour award levels and durations of current awards to ensure that clients are not made to undergo unnecessary award reviews when their benefit transfers.

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-22132

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21923 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 13 March 2019, how much the agency arrangements will cost each year, broken down by (a) benefit and (b) the methodology used to calculate this, and on what date the formal discussions with the DWP regarding these costs began.

Seòmar agus comataidhean