Welfare Reform Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Official Report 462KB pdf

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Subordinate Legislation

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Council Tax (Reduction) (Scotland) Amendment No 4 Regulations 2013 (SSI 2013/287)

Agenda item 3 is consideration of the Council Tax (Reduction) (Scotland) Amendment No 4 Regulations 2013 (SSI2013/287). The regulations were considered by the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee at its meeting on 5 November. The committee did not draw the Parliament’s attention to the regulations on any grounds within its remit.

For our consideration of the regulations we are joined by Jenny Brough, team leader, from the Scottish Government’s council tax unit. I apologise for keeping you waiting so long this morning. I know that you expected to have this evidence session about an hour ago, so thanks very much for staying with us.

Do members have any questions on the regulations?

Have there been any changes to the regulations following the submissions to the Government from the Child Poverty Action Group and others?

I assume that you are referring to the Council Tax (Reduction) (Scotland) Amendment No 2 Regulations 2013 around reviews. Those regulations proceeded through, so there were no changes.

Right. Will the Government collect statistical information on the implementation, monitoring and uptake of the scheme and, more important, report to Parliament on that? Will the Government report back to us?

Yes. When council tax benefit was abolished earlier this year, the DWP obviously stopped collecting any statistical information at that time. Since then, we have been working with local authorities to put in place data monitoring and reporting arrangements for the council tax reduction scheme. It is our intention that a statistical publication will be published in December. I cannot give a specific date for that at the moment, but when that information is available we will bring it to the committee’s attention.

I have a very straightforward question. What would be the effect on people on the ground if the regulations were annulled?

The purpose of the amendments that we are making to the council tax reduction scheme is mainly to refine provision for universal credit in advance of its roll-out in Scotland later this year. If the regulations were annulled, it would mean that provision for those in receipt of universal credit seeking to claim council tax reduction would not be as up to date as it could be.

I invited members to ask questions on the regulations. If members have no specific comments to make on them, do they agree to note the regulations?

Members indicated agreement.

I thank Jenny Brough for attending the meeting.

As agreed at a previous committee meeting, we now move into private session.

12:15 Meeting continued in private until 12:34.