Chamber and committees

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-20536

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-20268 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 December 2018, for what reason the Social Security Scotland Senior Management Team and Executive Advisory Body were appointed without anyone who identifies as black or minority ethnic, and whether there were any applicants who did.

I refer the member to question S5W-19666 on 13 November 2018 which provided applicants monitoring information in relation to Ethnic group for Social Security Scotland’s Executive Advisory Body.

Posts within the agency’s Senior Management Team were filled in line with the Scottish Government’s selection policy. In equalities monitoring, no applicant identified as black or minority ethnic in relation to ethnic group.

Question reference: S5W-20703

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated saving or cost is of its proposed social security policy on terminal illness, which requires registered medical practitioners to determine eligibility based on their clinical judgement, compared with the DWP policy on terminal illness, which is based on rules in which death "can reasonably be expected" within the next six months.

Question reference: S5W-20614

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-20108 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 December 2018, when the Social Security Programme Board is expected to give a formal view on the Go/No Go for (a) disability assistance, (b) carer's assistance, (c) employment injuries assistance, (d) cold-spell heating assistance, (e) winter heating assistance and (f) the income supplement.

Question reference: S5W-20546

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) starting gate and (b) gateway reviews have taken place in its social security directorate.

Question reference: S5W-20333

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S5W-19402 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 November 2018, what the response from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions was; whether it will publish the correspondence; whether the response from the Secretary of State specified how many carers allowance recipients were found to have been overpaid by the DWP's Verify Earnings and Pensions service, and, if so, how many.

Question reference: S5W-20403

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether applications for the Best Start Grant baby and pregnancy payments will be provided to new mothers in hospital.

We are actively working with health boards to ensure that promotion of the Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment is embedded in their maternity and health visiting pathways and in relevant publications such as "Ready Steady Baby".

Health boards are best placed to decide the approach to promotion in their individual areas. We have not placed an explicit requirement for them to provide applications to new mothers in hospital but some may choose to do so.

Question reference: S5W-20404

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether Police Scotland is currently a delivery partner for Social Security Scotland, and, if so, what the basis (a) is and (b) will be of that partner relationship.

We have no specific definition of a delivery partner, however, we will be engaging with Police Scotland through the local community planning partnerships and will work with them and all other relevant public and third sector organisations to ensure awareness of Social Security Scotland’s services. Additionally, in Social Security Scotland’s commitment to the safety of clients, the public and staff, which is reflected in our public protection policies, we will engage with Police Scotland where it is deemed appropriate.

Question reference: S5W-20405

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the processes required to assess applications and make payments of the Best Start Grant baby and pregnancy payments will be automated or manual.

The Best Start Grant’s case management systems have been built to automate processes where possible. We are minimising both manual processing and the evidence that a client is required to provide with electronic checks being made where appropriate.

For example, with evidence gathering, there are automatic checks on postcode, bank details and pregnancy details.

For decision making, automatic rules have been built into the system where possible. There are manual checks in place for quality assurance.

Question reference: S5W-20406

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) retention, (b) turnover and (c) vacancy rate has been of Social Security Scotland staff.

The turnover and retention rates for Social Security Scotland in the period 1 September to 30 November 2018 are shown in the following table.

	Turnover (Leaver rate)	Retention rate
1 September – 30 November	1%	99%

Whilst there is no commonly accepted definition of how vacancy rate should be calculated, Social Security Scotland currently has 27 unfilled posts. These are new posts and represent 10.22% of the overall headcount.

No vacancy within the agency has remained unfilled for longer than 3 months.

Question reference: S5W-20261

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) its Social Security directorate and (b) Social Security Scotland (i) paid to the DWP (A) in 2017-18 and (B) since April 2018 and (ii) expects to pay to the DWP in (aa) 2018-19 and (bb) 2019-20, broken down by cost type.

The following tables reflect actual and forecast payments to DWP:

Payments for Implementation costs (actual and indicative) to DWP from Social Security Directorate

	Payment
17-18 (actual)	£3.5 million (inc VAT)
18-19 (actual to date covers period April – June)	£1.3 million (inc VAT)
18-19 (forecast July – March)	£7.4 million (inc VAT)
19-20	Forecast figures currently being negotiated with DWP

Implementation costs are the demonstrable and jointly agreed net costs to DWP wholly and necessarily incurred by as a result of the devolution of powers.

Payments for Running costs (actual and indicative) to DWP from Social Security Scotland

	Payment
18-19 (to date)	£0
18-19 (indicative)	£4.2 million (inc VAT)
19-20 (indicative)	£7.3 million (inc VAT)

Running costs are the demonstrable and jointly agreed net costs to DWP for the provision of services to Scottish Government.

In addition to the above, the Social Security Directorate paid £38,467 for delivery of Universal Credit Scottish Choices from October 2017 to May 2018. Work is currently ongoing with DWP to refine forecast delivery costs.

Implementation costs for 2019-20 are currently being negotiated with DWP.