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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 27 July 2025
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Displaying 2881 contributions

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Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 14 March 2024

John Mason

I will ask about audit. The idea is that people can be required to give information and that there could be penalties if they do not provide the right information. The Government says that it has to get information so that it can establish estimates of error and fraud. Do the witnesses agree with the power to suspend a person’s benefit payments if they repeatedly fail to provide information to Social Security Scotland? I think that RNIB Scotland has views on that.

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 14 March 2024

John Mason

On that theme, if somebody’s eyesight has deteriorated, they might need more support than they did previously. Should support be provided in that situation in some way?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 14 March 2024

John Mason

Ms Andrews, do you have any further thoughts on that point?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 14 March 2024

John Mason

I will come back to you if you want.

Mr Faulds, do you want to come back in on what else we could do? I see that Mr Faulds is shaking his head. Does either of the ones in the room want to say what else the Government could do?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 14 March 2024

John Mason

That is helpful. Mr Smith, do you have a view?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 14 March 2024

John Mason

Yes, I will come to them. I will follow up with Mr Smith first and then come back to the people who are online.

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Aggregates Tax and Devolved Taxes Administration (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

John Mason

I am sympathetic to that suggestion, but I will leave my colleague Liz Smith to ask you about it, as that is her baby on this committee.

On the actual rate, which you have mentioned, I accept that you are not experts on aggregates, but I note that one of the bill’s aims is to encourage recycling to ensure that we take less out of quarries and reuse things more. Do you think that matching the UK rate is a good idea, or would it be a problem if we did not?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Aggregates Tax and Devolved Taxes Administration (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

John Mason

That is helpful. That point is wider than what we are looking at today, but that is interesting. Ms d’Inverno, would you like to come in?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Aggregates Tax and Devolved Taxes Administration (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

John Mason

We have not touched on some other things that the Law Society of Scotland suggested with regard to what is not in the bill. I confess that I do not fully understand LBTT group relief and Scottish share pledges. I think that you are looking for amendments or saying that something else could be in the bill. Do you have amendments ready to go that members might be willing to lodge?

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Aggregates Tax and Devolved Taxes Administration (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

John Mason

The bill seems to me to be quite wide ranging, so I am surprised that anything is ruled out. Fair enough—we can take advice on that.