Scottish Parliament publishes Camphill Scotland and Inclusion Scotland amendments

Social Security Committee supports amendments

Camphill Scotland has drafted various amendments to the Scottish Government’s Social Security Bill, with Inclusion Scotland and other partners including the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance, Disability  Agenda Scotland and Citizens Advice Scotland to name but a few.

The amendments were published by the Social Security Committee, and the Committee’s Stage 1 Report on the Social Security highlights its support for many of these amendments, and for the principles underpinning the amendments. This includes:

• the need for independent advocacy to be enshrined in the principles of the Bill
• for the duties to comply with the Scottish Social Security principles to be tightened
• for an independent advisory committee on social security to be established
• the need to strengthen the scrutiny of the rules and regulations which will be introduced through the Social Security legislation
• recognition that an individual will always have the choice of whether or not to receive assistance in a form other than cash and that cash will be the default

Purpose of amendments

The amendments would

1. Introduce a right to independent advocacy for those requiring assistance under the legislation
2. Place the proposed Scottish Social Security agency on a statutory footing
3. Ensure that the Scottish Ministers comply with the Scottish Social Security principles outlined in the legislation

Other amendments would

1. Establish a social security advisory committee to provide the Scottish Ministers with independent advice on social security issues
2. Strengthen the scrutiny of the regulations and introduce a feedback mechanism for those applying for assistance under the legislation

The amendments were referred to by Bill Scott, Director of Policy at Inclusion Scotland, in his oral evidence to the Social Security Committee on 5 October.

What’s next?

The Stage 2 proceedings which will involve the Social Security Committee debating these and other amendments to the legislation will commence on 25 January 2018.