That the Parliament notes the actions set out in the Programme for Government 2023-24 to build stronger communities, improve social justice, reduce inequalities, including in health and social care, and tackle child poverty; welcomes the investment of £5.3 billion in Scottish Government benefits in 2023-24, supporting over 1.2 million people, including £405 million for the Scottish Child Payment, which is currently helping to improve the lives of over 316,000 children; further welcomes the continued use of the Scottish Government’s fixed budget and limited powers to tackle inequality and poverty and protect people, as far as possible, from the harm inflicted by UK Government cuts and austerity, as well as the ongoing cost of living crisis; notes the continued action to tackle child poverty in key areas including parental employability, early learning and childcare, mental health, transport, and affordable housing; welcomes that 90,000 fewer children will live in relative and absolute poverty in 2023 as a result of Scottish Government policies; notes that reprehensible UK Government welfare policies, including the two-child limit and benefit cap, inflict hardship on families on the lowest incomes, with the two-child limit affecting 80,000 children in Scotland and removing £341.3 million from families in Scotland since 2017, and commends successful pay deals with NHS staff and unions that have ensured there have been no strikes in Scotland, thereby protecting patients and helping the workforce to deal with the ongoing cost of living crisis, and ensuring that people can access the social care support that they need, while recognising the valuable contribution of Scotland’s social care workforce.
Supported by:
Michael Matheson, Paul McLennan, Emma Roddick, Humza Yousaf
Result 68 for, 54 against, 0 abstained, 7 did not vote Vote Passed
Scottish National Party
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Scottish Labour
Scottish Green Party
Scottish Liberal Democrats
No Party Affiliation
Submitted by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date lodged: Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Carol Mochan, Colin Smyth, Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Result 19 for, 102 against, 0 abstained, 8 did not vote Vote Defeated
Submitted by: Meghan Gallacher, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date lodged: Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Result 31 for, 91 against, 0 abstained, 7 did not vote Vote Defeated