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The decisions of the European courts are so important in making certain framework laws work, so even if the text of the legislation stays the same, the fact that the interpretations could—not necessarily would—change adds an extra layer of uncertainty. Uncertainty is therefore the big message that should be in capital letters.
Those include the expansion of the Scottish child payment, the doubling of the final bridging payment in December and the extra money for funding to tackle fuel insecurity.
For example, we have certainly seen an increase in the number of young people who wish to undertake their assessments in separate accommodation or to have extra time to undertake assessments.
There does not seem to be any consideration of the fact that children are entitled to extra protection, as set out in article 40 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has recently issued comprehensive guidance on through a general comment.
Although that is welcomed, the local development process is front loaded and I think that an extra 60 additional duties have been given to planners—Dave Melhuish will keep me right on that—which raises questions about resource.
Jeremy Balfour is absolutely right about this year’s council budgets. Supposedly, there is an extra £120 million; in reality, hundreds of millions of pounds have been cut.