Question reference: S5W-15464
- Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 20 March 2018
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Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 18 April 2018
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent each year on measures to mitigate the impact on Scotland of the UK Government's welfare reforms.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to protect the most vulnerable and those on low incomes by mitigating the worst impacts of the UK Government’s welfare cuts.
We have increased our spending on welfare mitigation measures by over £20 million in each of the last two years. In 2018-19 we expect to spend £128m, this is up from £102.8m in 2017-18 and £81.4m in 2016-17.
Using public funds to make up shortfalls caused by UK Government welfare reforms to which the Scottish Government is firmly opposed is unsustainable. In the long term, only full devolution of social security will allow us to build a system that meets Scotland’s needs and supports our long-term ambitions.