Skip to main content

Language: English / Gàidhlig

Loading…

Seòmar agus comataidhean

Economy: Cost of Living Crisis

  • Submitted by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats.
  • Date lodged: Thursday, 14 April 2022
  • Motion reference: S6M-04050
  • Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, 20 April 2022

Motions as amended

That the Parliament recognises the increasing pressures facing households during the current cost of living crisis; welcomes the significant actions taken by the Scottish Government to mitigate those pressures within the scope of devolved powers and budgets, and that these include doubling the Scottish Child Payment to £20 per week, with a further increase later in 2022, uprating eight Scottish benefits by 6%, mitigating where possible the impact of the UK Government’s so-called bedroom tax and benefit cap, substantially increasing free childcare, introducing free bus travel for under-22s, committing to a Fair Fares review, including the pricing of public transport and the availability of concessions and discounts, a £1.8 billion programme of heating and home energy efficiency in the current parliamentary session, an extension of eligibility for Warmer Homes Scotland, the expansion of Home Energy Scotland advice services, and increased grants for area-based schemes; recognises that, after these actions, considerable challenges to cost-of-living pressures remain, resulting from a combination of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit and the UK Government’s failures to tackle spiralling energy costs, its removal of the £20 Universal Credit top-up, its failure to uprate benefits and pensions in line with current inflation, and its introduction of increased taxes on working people; calls on the UK Government to use its powers to reverse the National Insurance increase, increase benefits, increase all bands of the minimum wage to at least the real living wage, and tackle energy prices and increase UK-wide energy efficiency schemes, and further calls on the UK Government to put in place a windfall tax on excess profits made by large companies, including fossil fuel producers, to provide immediate financial help for families impacted by the cost of living crisis, or to transfer the powers to do so to the Scottish Parliament so that it can fully address the cost of living crisis and meet the needs of the people of Scotland.


Vote

Result 65 for, 51 against, 1 abstained, 12 did not vote Vote Passed

Scottish National Party

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Scottish Labour

Scottish Green Party

Scottish Liberal Democrats

For
0
Against
Abstained
0
Did not vote
0

No Party Affiliation

For
0
Against
0
Abstained
0
Did not vote

Original motion text

That the Parliament considers that both the Scottish and UK governments must immediately do much more to tackle the worst cost of living crisis for generations, and that without additional help this will have a devastating impact on household incomes and poverty; believes that every household could benefit from a cost of living rescue package; urges the UK Government to act through a cut to VAT to 17.5%, worth £600 to the average household, the reversal of the National Insurance rise, the doubling and expansion of the Winter Fuel Payment and Warm Home Discount, and a “Robin Hood” tax on the energy companies that are making super profits from the current crisis; urges the Scottish Government to use its wholly devolved powers to reverse the recent 3.8% rail fare hike and, instead, to expand the system of railcards so that everyone is eligible to get the benefit of rail discounts of at least one third off, based on the model that already exists throughout London and the south east of England; further urges the Scottish Government to increase the value of disability benefits, announce protection for households experiencing council tax rises due to the Scottish Government’s cuts to council budgets, and activate an emergency nationwide home insulation programme with reports provided monthly to Parliament on the impact of its interventions to increase household energy efficiency, and considers that together these steps would help insulate households from the cost of living crisis, where recent government decisions have added to their exposure.

Accepted amendments

Motion ref. S6M-04050.3

Economy: Cost of Living Crisis - Amendment - Amendment

Submitted by: Shona Robison, Dundee City East, Scottish National Party, Date lodged: Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Result 66 for, 51 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote Vote Passed

Defeated amendments

Motion ref. S6M-04050.2

Economy: Cost of Living Crisis - Amendment - Amendment

Submitted by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, Glasgow, Scottish Labour, Date lodged: Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Supported by: Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Result 23 for, 93 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote Vote Defeated

Amendments that have not been voted on

Motion ref. S6M-04050.1

Economy: Cost of Living Crisis - Amendment - Amendment

Submitted by: Liz Smith, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date lodged: Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, April 20, 2022