Emergency Question
Under rule 13.8 of standing orders, I have selected an emergency question from Jackie Baillie. The text of the question is in the revised Business Bulletin.
Bedroom Tax (Emergency Legislation)
1. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will bring forward emergency legislation to protect tenants from eviction as a result of arrears arising from the so-called bedroom tax, and financial support to help local authorities and housing associations to mitigate its impact.
This morning I met Iain Duncan Smith and reiterated the Scottish Government’s view that the bedroom tax should be withdrawn. [Applause.]
The Scottish Government has written to all social landlords making it clear that tenants who genuinely cannot make up the shortfall that will be created by the bedroom tax should be protected from eviction. We have also made it clear that no Scottish National Party-led council will evict tenants in those circumstances—a policy position that has been rejected by the Labour-Tory Administrations in Aberdeen and Falkirk. Labour’s rhetoric on the bedroom tax is, therefore, exposed as being empty, by its actions at local level and at Westminster, where it has failed to give any commitment to scrapping the tax.
We believe that the approach that we are taking is the right and sensible one. In line with existing legislation, we expect the same sensitive approach to be taken to tenants who get into financial difficulty as a result of other aspects of welfare changes. The change that is proposed in the question would create an anomalous situation and would provide no additional protection for people who get into difficulties as a result of welfare cuts other than the bedroom tax. Further, it would involve the Scottish Government taking £50 million out of other areas of public spending, with inevitable consequences for vulnerable people across the country. [Interruption.]
Order.
It is a fact that the only way for Scotland to be fully protected from welfare cuts that would be imposed by Westminster is for this Parliament to be independent. As soon as we have the power to do so, this Government will scrap the bedroom tax.
Nicola Sturgeon really needs to stop politicking. [Laughter.]
Order.
The SNP clearly thinks it is a joke, but the bedroom tax will come into effect on Monday. Although the majority of members will agree that the bedroom tax is an abhorrent policy, it is not sufficient for the Scottish Government simply to shift responsibility to individual councils. The Scottish Government has the power to do something about it now.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that it essential to have across Scotland, rather than a postcode lottery, a common legislative approach that protects all tenants, whether they are council or housing association tenants, and which is backed by resources to mitigate the impact? Our repeated calls for action have been echoed by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, by many housing organisations and by organisations such as Children 1st.
I know that the Minister for Housing and Welfare has already said no, and John Swinney has already said no to amending the Local Government Finance Order 2013. Will the cabinet secretary today act in the interests of all Scotland’s tenants? Will she forgo her holiday and return to the chamber during recess to pass emergency legislation? In so doing, she would protect the 100,000 vulnerable Scots who will be affected by the bedroom tax and who need our help now. [Interruption.]
Order.
First, I say that it is my understanding that Jackie Baillie has in this chamber misrepresented the position of COSLA. I trust, if that turns out to be the case, that she will come back to the chamber later this afternoon and correct what she said.
The Scottish Government will continue to do everything within the powers and resources that we have to protect vulnerable people across Scotland. Labour’s position on the issue is shamelessly hypocritical and has nothing to do with protecting vulnerable people. Behind Jackie Baillie’s rhetoric, the reality is very different. First, we have the reality of Labour councils voting against a no evictions policy—[Interruption.]
Order. Mr Henry!
In other words, Labour wants the Scottish Government to legislate because it cannot persuade its councils to do the right thing voluntarily.
Secondly, we have a point-blank, and disgraceful, refusal by Labour to say that it would scrap the bedroom tax if it was re-elected to Government.
Thirdly, we have the grotesque situation of Labour saying that it opposes welfare cuts while being joined at the hip with the Tories in a campaign to keep the powers over welfare in the hands of the Tories, instead of arguing for this Parliament to have the power to decide. Instead of grandstanding—[Interruption.]
Order.
Instead of grandstanding—may I say that it is rather belated grandstanding—Jackie Baillie and Labour should be getting behind the Scottish Government’s efforts to protect vulnerable people and joining us in a united front against the Tories, and not touring the country telling us that we are better together with the Tories. That is the reality.
Is the cabinet secretary aware that Iain Duncan Smith, following a severe heckling by victims of his brutal welfare cuts in Edinburgh this morning, is on his way to meet Welfare Reform Committee members? The meeting will be held in private, at his request.
Does the cabinet secretary share my disappointment that instead of showing a united front to prevent the cuts happening in the first place, the Labour Party here is choosing to act as a human shield for the Tories? Does she agree that Labour members should be utterly and completely ashamed of themselves?
First, I agree that it is disgraceful that Iain Duncan Smith, the architect of the bedroom tax and other welfare cuts, will not meet the Welfare Reform Committee in public, where he could publicly defend the policies that he is imposing on Scotland.
Secondly, Linda Fabiani has made the important point that today’s question is a fig leaf for Labour. Labour wants to divert the Scottish people’s attention from the real issue. The real issue is this: because powers over welfare remain at Westminster, we have to put up with a Tory Government that we do not vote for imposing welfare cuts and the bedroom tax on Scotland. [Interruption.]
Order.
If Labour members really cared for vulnerable people across Scotland, they would have a united front with the Scottish Government against the Tories; they would not be in a campaign with the Tories to keep welfare powers at Westminster.
Is it possible to get an answer from the people who lodged the question on why a policy announcement that was originally made in June 2010 has only become an emergency nearly three years later, on the day when Iain Duncan Smith is visiting Edinburgh?
Given that the Welfare Reform Committee is about to meet Iain Duncan Smith, what will the Government—and Jackie Baillie, for that matter—do to help people who are in overcrowded accommodation and who are waiting for radical action to address their housing needs and to deliver effective use of Scotland’s existing housing stock?
First, we will not take any lectures from a Tory who is part of the party that is imposing the cuts and changes on Scotland.
As anyone who is watching will know, the question is a diversionary tactic. It is a diversion from the reality of a Tory Government that we do not support imposing policies on Scotland—[Interruption.]
Order.
The question is also a diversion from the fact that Jackie Baillie clearly cannot persuade Labour councils to do what SNP councils have done, and say that they will have a no evictions policy, like the one that we announced at the weekend. Labour would do far better to get its own house in order before it comes to Parliament to lecture the Scottish Government.
It is interesting—and it is another sign of the panicked move that we are seeing from Jackie Baillie this afternoon—that as far as I am aware, the petition that calls for the legislation that the question talks about was lodged in Parliament on 16 March: some Labour MSPs have signed the petition, but some Labour MSPs—including Jackie Baillie and Johann Lamont—have not signed the petition. [Interruption.]
Order.