Chamber and committees

Thanks for that.

The questions that I was going to ask have been covered in the opening statement, so I will hand back to the convener.

Why has the commitment to deliver “face-to-face services” changed to a commitment to delivery “in person if necessary”? Is that just because the reality—the experience—is that not everyone needs that? Will all clients be given the choice to have local support provided in person?

I congratulate my colleague Kevin Stewart on securing this incredibly important debate. Volunteers are the backbone of our communities, and this week gives us the chance to recognise, celebrate and thank our incredible volunteers for all that they contribute to our local communities.

This year is extra special, given that it is the 40th anniversary of volunteers week. Today, we celebrate that milestone and pay gratitude to the volunteers in our constituencies. I have had the privilege of meeting many volunteers in my constituency over my three years as an MSP, and over a number of years as a councillor before that, so I know just how hard they work. I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests, which states that I am a former councillor.

As I have so many outstanding volunteers in my constituency, a four-minute speech does not, unfortunately, provide enough time to name them all. However, I will have a go, and I will name just a few of them. My sincere thanks go to the volunteers of Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels, Milngavie in Bloom, the Dalmuir Barclay church community pantry, Improving Lives, Faifley food share, Bearsden in Bloom, Golden Friendships, Clydebank men’s shed, Clydebank Asbestos Group, Milngavie and Bearsden men’s shed, Isaro Community Initiative, Clydebank group holidays, West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau, the Recycle Room, Milngavie Old People’s Welfare Committee, Clyde Shopmobility, the flourishing Faifley group, Stepping Stones and so many more.

I would also like to thank some volunteers who have sadly passed in my community, who gave everything to their cause. Bob Dickie and Hope Robertson of the Clydebank Asbestos Group, you will forever be remembered as stalwarts of the campaign for truth and justice for asbestos victims and as dedicated volunteers.

The contribution that volunteers make is often unseen, but it never goes unnoticed by me. I know how hard they all work, and we can see the level of dedication, commitment and passion that they bring to our towns. The work that volunteers in my constituency do has never been more vital, so it is time that we celebrate them for all that they do.

Volunteering not only is beneficial for our communities but has been shown to improve wellbeing, and it can help people to gain valuable skills and experience and to boost their confidence and even their job prospects.

In my Clydebank and Milngavie constituency, there has always been a community spirit of looking out for one another. The volunteers in the area harness that spirit. They truly come from all walks of life, and they have different goals, such as providing food parcels to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry, helping those with disabilities to access services and mobility scooters, litter picking and protecting our environment, and providing practical and emotional support and spaces to tackle social isolation. However, they all share one thing in common: they aim to make a positive difference to the lives of others.

Volunteering also has a ripple effect beyond the services that volunteers provide. Those acts of kindness and service inspire others to give back and help to foster the community spirit that keeps our towns going. I know of many individuals who have chosen to give back to the community after experiencing support and kindness from local volunteers. Even if that is just for a couple of hours a week or month, it can make such a difference. I know that many groups in my constituency are always looking for more help. Please reach out to them if that interests you. Every contribution matters, no matter how small.

To conclude, I say to the volunteers in Clydebank and Milngavie and Bearsden North, past and present, that I am forever grateful to them for what they have done for our constituents. Their selflessness, dedication and passion for helping others and improving our communities are truly awe inspiring. They have touched countless lives, and their communities are a better place for their being in them. I thank them so much.

The two-child limit on benefits is one of the biggest policy drivers of child poverty, according to Barnardo’s chief executive, Lynn Perry. However, Keir Starmer, the next expected Prime Minister, will not scrap that, despite former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown recently noting that there are “obscene” levels of child poverty in the UK. Will the cabinet secretary outline how that damaging policy continues to hinder the Scottish Government’s efforts to tackle child poverty, and how much further we could go if we were an independent country?

I speak in the debate as a member of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee. I thank the committee clerks for their assistance with the production of our report.

The committee received very helpful evidence from across the third sector and from local authorities and those representing the insurance sector. I thank CPAG and the Poverty Alliance for their helpful briefings, in which they welcomed the bill and made suggestions for further consideration.

The Scottish Government has already made significant progress with the social security system by delivering 14 benefits that tackle poverty and reduce inequality. However, we can always make improvements, and that is what the bill aims to do. The bill’s main policy objective is to enhance the social security system in line with the principles that are laid out in the 2018 act. Those principles underpin our social security system, to ensure that it is based on fairness, dignity and respect. In particular, the principles require that

“opportunities are ... sought to continuously improve the Scottish social security system in ways”

that

“put the needs of those who require assistance first, and ... advance equality and non-discrimination”.

In addition,

“the Scottish social security system is to be efficient and deliver value for money.”

Throughout stage 1, I and the committee as a whole have kept those principles at the forefront of our minds in considering and reviewing the bill. It is welcome that, in general, witnesses agree that, overall, the bill aligns with those principles, with the exception of the provisions on information for audit. I welcome the cabinet secretary’s assurances on further work in that regard.

The bill has nine parts, the first eight of which are dealt with in the committee’s report. For the sake of time, I will touch on two important parts. On determinations and redeterminations, I have always been mindful of the fact that the benefits process can be confusing. The committee noted that there was scope to make

“changes ... which could help to streamline the redetermination and appeal processes for clients.”

The committee also noted that, by simplifying and streamlining the system, we can build on and better incorporate the principles, ensuring that it

“embodies fairness, dignity and respect, as well as ... providing”

better

“value for money.”

However, the committee asked that

“the Scottish Government ... consider ... suggestions made by witnesses for creating consistent deadlines for redeterminations, removing the need for an error to be identified before an appeal can be lapsed, providing a ‘cooling off’ period for withdrawing requests for redeterminations and appeals”

and

“removing the need for a redetermination stage after an appeal has lapsed”.

As a result of Covid-19, provision was introduced to allow for late applications. That is no longer needed, but it flagged important points around the need for greater flexibility to deal with late applications. The committee and I welcome the cabinet secretary’s plans to take forward investigations at stage 2 to extend the flexibility of the provision to accommodate late applications from claimants who face challenging situations. We would also appreciate the cabinet secretary’s consideration of whether further provisions for backdating could be looked into.

Overall, it is felt that the amendment has been undertaken in a way that takes account of the ethos of the 2018 act while considering developments in the social security system. It was, at times, hard to ensure that the social security principles were upheld, so the committee and I welcome further reassurance that the core principles of fairness, dignity and respect are at the heart of the provisions, including regarding information for audit.

I am glad that the committee supports the general principles of the bill, and I welcome it as a step forward in ensuring that our social security system meets our high standards and upholds our principles of fairness, dignity and respect.

SCOSS advises that a significant number of full-time student carers are expected to be eligible for the carers support payment in the final phase of the roll-out. As that is likely to put additional pressure on Social Security Scotland, are you confident that training and other support and resources will be in place to assist staff to deal with the volume of those applications?

I await the MIG report with interest.

That is helpful. Stephen Sinclair, you touched on that earlier, so I do not think that you will want to come back in. Ruth Boyle, in your submission, and just a moment ago, you suggested that the Scottish child payment could be a building block of the minimum income guarantee. In what ways could the minimum income guarantee have a greater impact on child poverty than the Scottish child payment?

Good morning, and thanks for your time. I will cover the issue of extending eligibility, which has been touched on briefly. Which changes to eligibility would have the greatest impact on reducing poverty?