Question reference: S6W-04806
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 3 December 2021
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Current status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 December 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out its analysis of the £13 million underspend between initial forecasts and spending in relation to the Scottish Child Payment.
Answer
As we set out in the answer to question S6W-04354 on 30 November 2021 there is a £13 million difference between the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s forecast for Scottish Child Payment expenditure from their January 2021 and August 2021 publications. This does not represent an underspend, it is simply a refinement of their previous forecast.
Scottish Child Payment is a completely new and demand led-benefit, which makes forecasting expenditure more difficult. The Commission revised their forecast once more data became available which suggested a lower number of eligible children.
As we set out in the answer to question S6W-04352 on 30 November 2021, we currently expect Scottish Child Payment expenditure to be in line with the updated forecasts.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .