The Public Audit Committee looks at reports published by the Auditor General for Scotland to examine whether public money is being spent efficiently and effectively.
On 18 September 2025, the Auditor General for Scotland published Adult Disability Payment.
The report says:
"The Scottish Government’s approach to ADP, for example improving benefit take-up and having lighter touch award reviews, generates additional costs. The Scottish Government spent £2.6 billion on ADP and PIP payments in 2023/24, £141 million more than the funding available to it. The Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts that this ADP spending gap alone Key messages 5 will grow to £770 million in 2029/30. This is contributing to a larger overall funding gap for devolved social security spending of £2.0 billion by 2029/30. These figures may change over time depending on Scottish and UK government policy changes".
The report was discussed at the following Committee meetings:
Minutes of the meeting on 12 November 2025 (Agenda Item 6):
The Committee considered the evidence heard at agenda items 2 and 5 and agreed to write to the Social Justice and Social Security Committee and in doing so, close its scrutiny of the report.
The Committee has sent and received the following correspondence during scrutiny of the report:
Correspondence from the Convener to Collette Stevenson MSP, Convener Social Justice and Social Security Committee, 18 December 2025