Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Laura Moodie: Does the cabinet secretary recognise the distress that is being caused to constituents, including a disabled veteran in my region, by the continued uncertainty around the scheme?”
“The Scottish Government has been working closely with Motability since March, and its notification of changes from 1 July in England, Wales and Northern Ireland—the 1 July commencement—is not set to apply in Scotland.”
“The Scottish Government is committed to working with East Lothian Council and private partners to unlock investment and growth at the strategic site at Blindwells, and we are providing £2.4 million of funding flexibility to support the development of the outline business case.”
“What reassurances can investors be given that the Scottish Government will work with them to deliver the project? Shirley-Anne Somerville: As I mentioned in my original answer, my ministerial colleagues and I recognise the strategic importance of Blindwells not just to housing but to the East Lothian economy.”
“Motability will continue to work with the Scottish Government to see what can be done, because it also recognises the distress and inconvenience that the situation is causing.”
“She said that she did not want to call out only Reform. Will she call out Alex Cole-Hamilton for mentioning the Third Reich or Daniel Johnson for making insinuations about fascism?”
The complete record
Every one of 503 lines we hold for Shirley-Anne Somerville, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 10 of 11.
“The Presiding Officer: The final question is, that motion S6M-16268, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, on approval of a United Kingdom statutory instrument, be agreed to. Motion agreed to, That the Parliament agrees that the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) Order 2025 [draft] be approved. The Presiding Officer: That concludes decision time, and we move to members’ business. Holocaust Memorial Day 2025”
“Motion, as amended, agreed to, That the Parliament deeply regrets that current high wait times mean that too many are waiting too long for treatment; thanks hardworking NHS and social care staff who provide extraordinary care across the country; recognises that there are crises facing too many parts of the NHS; notes investment of over £11 billion in the NHS workforce and an estimated £950 million to ensure that adult social care workers, including those in the third and private sectors, are paid at least the real Living Wage; recognises that the biggest threat to the health and social care workforce comes from the UK Government’s decision to increase employer national insurance contributions, and demands that the UK Labour administration reimburse the Scottish Government in full; supports the calls for the publication of a medium-term approach to health and social care reform, including workforce planning, before the Parliament’s 2025 summer recess, and believes that the aim of the medium-term reforms must be to ensure that everyone can access the treatment and care that they require, in the right place, at the right time.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect. I would have voted yes. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Somerville. We will ensure that that is recorded. For Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Rona Mackay] Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn] McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McKelvie, Christina (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn] McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Alba) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Against Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (Con) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Abstentions Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) [Proxy vote cast by Gillian Mackay] Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on motion S6M-16252, in the name of Jackie Baillie, on supporting Scotland’s health and social care workforce, as amended, is: For 61, Against 53, Abstentions 7.”
“We are determined to see what more we can do to ensure that we take a cash-first approach, because it is making a real difference to people by delivering a much more dignified response to an emergency. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes portfolio questions on social justice. There will be a brief pause before we move to the next item of business, to allow those on the front benches to change places. Fatal Accident Inquiries (Deaths in Custody)”
“How will the cabinet secretary’s commitment to a cash-first approach contribute to tackling food insecurity in Scotland? Shirley-Anne Somerville: Scotland is the first nation to publish a plan that works toward ending the need for food banks, and we are taking forward nine actions over three years to improve the response to crisis using a cash-first approach. That is backed up by investment of up to £1.8 million in the cash-first programme, which supports eight public sector and third sector partnerships to strengthen urgent access to cash in a crisis and reduce the need for food parcels. The Trussell Trust and the Independent Food Aid Network agree that that approach is right.”
“The Scottish Government tracks food insecurity through the Scottish health survey. In 2023, results showed that 14 per cent of adults reported experiencing food insecurity, which is an increase from 9 per cent in 2021, and it is the highest level since the time series began in 2017. Younger adults were more likely to experience food insecurity than older adults, and adults who experience food insecurity have below-average life satisfaction and much lower levels of mental wellbeing. Rona Mackay: Social security support, such as the Scottish child payment and best start foods, has helped Scottish households to secure, proportionately, the lowest food bank usage in the United Kingdom, but it is clear that efforts must be redoubled to remove the need for food banks entirely.”
“Disappointingly, not only will we have to continue to do so, but we will have to expand that mitigation due to the processes that we now have to put in place to mitigate the decisions of the current”
“I am not sure which part of the “dependency” Mr Kerr believes that we need to get rid of—whether it is disabled people, carers or those on low incomes—but I am disappointed that he would suggest that dependency is an issue. Mr Kerr is potentially unaware of the many people who are already in work but still receive benefits due to the inadequate low pay that they receive. He is also probably unaware of the fact that the vast majority of the increase in expenditure on social security is covered by block grant adjustments because UK forecasts are increasing, particularly in relation to disabled people. A lot of the increase in Scottish Government expenditure is due to the fact that we mitigate the worst excesses of his party when it was in power.”
“We had that at First Minister’s question time and we are not going to have it during portfolio questions. We are going to listen to the questions and to the cabinet secretary responding to them. Stephen Kerr: On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I apologise for shouting across the chamber, but I hope that you will understand that calling work a stigma is ridiculous. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That is not a point of order. You are denying people the opportunity to come in with supplementary questions, because we are tied up with this nonsense. I ask the cabinet secretary to resume answering the question, and we will then move on. Shirley-Anne Somerville: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Through social security, the Scottish Government invests in low-income families, disabled people and carers.”
“Although the First Minister claims, rightly, that the solution to poverty is good work and warm homes, the SNP seems to celebrate that increase. It should focus on reducing dependency by growing the economy and expanding the workforce. It should be aiming to cut the benefits bill, not planning to increase it exponentially. What will the cabinet secretary do to focus on tackling worklessness and helping benefit claimants to get back to work? Shirley-Anne Somerville: I think that we have just heard some of that stigmatising language in the chamber this afternoon. [Interruption.] When we talk about “dependency”— Stephen Kerr: That is ridiculous. [Interruption.] The Deputy Presiding Officer: Cabinet secretary, will you resume your seat for a second? I will not tolerate barracking across the chamber.”
“Social security is an investment in the people of Scotland. All Governments should be encouraging more people to take up the benefits that they are entitled to. The Scottish Government is investing around £6.9 billion in social security benefits in 2025-26, and that is projected to increase to £8.7 billion in 2029- 30. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that finances remain on a sustainable trajectory and we will publish our next medium- term financial strategy later this year, alongside a fiscal sustainability delivery plan. Stephen Kerr: That is 14 per cent of next year’s budget being spent on social security. As the cabinet secretary says, that will rise to £8.7 billion in 2029. By the way, that is £1 million an hour.”
“The member raises a very important point about the impact that that can have on our constituents. Social Security Scotland (Spending) 7.”
“Shirley-Anne Somerville: I share the member’s concern about some of the language regarding social security that we see being used by the Conservatives, by the UK Labour Government and, indeed, by Scottish Labour in its discussion of “handouts”. However, unlike the Department for Work and Pensions, we do not have powers to make direct deductions for third-party services. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that we operate with fairness, dignity and respect for all clients, including in our work on debt collection. The UK Government’s approach, which includes deductions for advance payments and historical overpayments, often leaves people with too little to live on. I will continue to press the UK Government to adopt fairer measures that safeguard people, including the work towards the essentials guarantee.”
“Clare Adamson: Many vulnerable people find it particularly difficult to navigate the Department for Work and Pensions system, especially given the stigmatising language that we continue to hear from the United Kingdom Government about cutting social security bills. My Motherwell and Wishaw constituents have experienced errors in debt calculation and issues with the direct payment of their universal credit to third parties, especially energy companies. I would be happy to share examples with the cabinet secretary. Will the cabinet secretary press the UK Government on ensuring that the current system of direct payments to third parties, including energy companies, is reviewed to ensure accuracy, fairness and proper safeguarding measures for vulnerable claimants?”
“Through our benefit take-up strategy, we are implementing initiatives to support people to access their entitlements. That includes targeted marketing of payments and assistance from local delivery teams to help people apply, with advisers available at co-located venues in Wishaw and Motherwell. The draft budget for 2025-26 includes more than £12.8 million for free income maximisation support and welfare and debt advice. Our investment supports advice services, which are delivered in many ways, including face to face, by telephone and on-line. In addition, welfare advice and health partnerships provide financial advice directly in three general practices in the member’s North Lanarkshire constituency.”
“That means that it is treated as income when other income replacement benefits, such as universal credit, are calculated, but carers are still better off because an extra amount, which is called the carer element, can be included in the calculation. Carers in Scotland get the extra support of the carers allowance supplement, which is not available in the rest of the UK, and, as I mentioned in my original answer, we are continuing our work to introduce the carers additional person payment. We are working with the UK Government to ensure that receipt of those benefits does not lead to reductions in DWP benefits.”
“Colin Beattie: Constituents have contacted me to report that the carer support payment will make a great difference to them, only for the DWP to remove the same amount from universal credit, because it is classed as income. Are discussions taking place with the UK Government to ensure that a no-detriment agreement can be put in place to allow carers in Scotland to benefit from the additional money? Shirley-Anne Somerville: As I mentioned in my original answer, carer support payment mirrors carers allowance. One reason for that is that it has the same purpose as carers allowance—it is an income replacement benefit for people who are less able to work because they have caring responsibilities.”
“Carer support payment has been designed to largely mirror carers allowance to protect carers in Scotland by providing them with a safe and secure transfer of benefits. We have worked closely with the DWP and other United Kingdom Government departments to ensure that our benefit interacts with wider support in the same way that carers allowance does, so that carers can continue to get the support that they previously relied on. When we introduce new extra support, such as the carers allowance supplement and the carers additional person payment, which we intend to introduce in the future, our fiscal framework agreement with the UK Government ensures that that extra support will not lead to reductions in other benefits.”
“It cannot be enough to describe today the difficulties that those women have gone through— and, because of that, how extraordinary they are. Despite setback after setback and broken promise after broken promise, a group of women has continued to seek justice, campaign with the utmost dignity and hold to account those in power, regardless of the financial and emotional toll that, no doubt, that has had on them and their families. Their tenacity should be an inspiration to us all.”
“As my colleague Maggie Chapman mentioned in a previous debate in the Parliament: “Every 13 minutes, a WASPI woman—a woman who might have lost several years-worth of her pension; maybe as much as £42,000—dies without justice.”——[Official Report, 19 June 2024; c 90.] The issue has affected around 336,000 women in Scotland—women who deserve acknowledgement for the wrongs that they have faced and who deserve to be fairly compensated for the mistakes of previous UK Governments. Sadly, because of the UK Government’s inactions, some will never see justice delivered. Across the UK, the number of WASPI women who have passed away since 2015 without seeing justice sits at around 308,000. That is a staggering figure, which should cause anyone who has not supported the campaign to hang their heads in shame.”
“The WASPI campaigners feel that that would be a fairer outcome, given the wider financial hardships that the devastating maladministration has caused. The awarding of such compensation, which would include reference to the wider hardship point, remains the position of the Scottish Government. However, in order to allow the Parliament to speak with one voice, our motion today is simple—a call to deliver justice for the WASPI women by implementing the ombudsman’s recommendations on the compensation payment. It is as simple as that.”
“When we heard those statements, I was struck by the clear themes of betrayal, disappointment and anger that came through. All those feelings are exceptionally valid, considering that those women had heard plenty of lines of support and promises of better times under a new UK Labour Government; however, when that Government was elected, it seems that those were nothing more than empty promises. The Scottish Government and Scottish National Party MPs have been consistent in their support of WASPI women, and that support has never wavered. Prior to the UK elections last year, SNP MP Alan Brown introduced a bill, with cross-party support, calling on the UK Government to publish a compensation framework for WASPI women, to be set at £3,000 to £10,000 or more.”
“The PHSO had already highlighted the following: “DWP indicated it would not comply with our recommendations and that is why, nine months ago, we asked Parliament to intervene.” In response to the UK Government’s decision, the chair of WASPI, Angela Madden, expertly pointed out: “This is a bizarre and totally unjustified move which will leave everyone asking what the point of an ombudsman is if ministers can simply ignore their decisions.” Indeed—what is the point? In the debate on the WASPI women that my colleague Kenny Gibson led last week, we heard many speakers from across the chamber telling their constituents’ stories and discussing not just their reactions to the UK Government’s decision, but the impact that it has had.”
“I also point out to the Prime Minister and the UK Government that the only “burden” here is the burden of responsibility that is now on them to fairly compensate those who have been affected by the maladministration of previous UK Governments. The UK Government’s official response was quite remarkable. It was astonishing. It accepts the PHSO’s findings and apologises for the DWP’s maladministration, but it refuses to financially compensate the WASPI women as that “would not represent good value for taxpayers.” Surely we can all agree that, if the UK Government is willing to accept responsibility for its actions, it should also face the consequences as laid out in the ombudsman’s report.”
“Despite the words of support from numerous Labour politicians who have stood with the WASPI women on marches and appeared in photos and newsletters the length and breadth of the country, and who promised a lot more than just an apology, the WASPI women are feeling let down once again. That is why so many women feel betrayed by the new Labour Government. When the previous Conservative Government was pushed to deliver the compensation on the back of the report, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer’s assertion was that any compensation had to be “fair” to other taxpayers. We now have a Prime Minister stating that to compensate the affected WASPI women would be a “burden on the taxpayer”. As I have said in the chamber before, the only fair approach to the issue is to ensure that compensation is paid to the women at the earliest possible time.”
“That was highlighted to the DWP, but it chose not to adequately use the research from the Work and Pensions Committee and the National Audit Office to improve its service and performance. The PHSO report states: “In this respect, DWP did not demonstrate principles of good administration. That was maladministration.” Despite the publication of the report in March and the ombudsman taking the very unusual step of asking the UK Parliament to intervene on behalf of both the women and the ombudsman, the previous UK Conservative Government failed to make any clear commitment last year on delivering the compensation that was recommended and instead only pledged to consider the report.”
“By the time the average woman reaches her late 50s, her pension wealth is equivalent to less than two thirds of a man’s. It is time to stop letting women down. The PHSO report criticises the DWP’s “maladministration” when communicating the equalisation of the state pension ages for men and women and it recommends that the DWP compensate women who were born in the 1950s by between £1,000 and £2,950. The ombudsman investigated complaints that, since 1995, the DWP has failed to provide adequate and timely information about the state pension age and the number of qualifying years that are needed to claim the full rate of state pension. The report found that, although some timely and accurate information was available, too many women did not understand how they were personally affected by the changes to the state pension.”
“The Scottish Government is absolutely clear that it is vital that the UK Government take responsibility for those failings, including, importantly, delivering a full compensation package, as was recommended by the ombudsman. I also call on the UK Government to listen to the WASPI women’s call for a comprehensive compensation package, given the financial hardship that they have suffered, coupled with the UK having one of the worst gender pension gaps among countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Age Scotland analysis has identified a UK gender pension gap of 39 per cent, which increases gradually over the course of the average woman’s working life. Research by the Pensions Policy Institute found that, for women to retire with the same pension savings as men, they would need to work for an extra 19 years.”
“In fact, when the former First Minister, Humza Yousaf, asked specifically whether a future UK Labour Government would pay compensation, Paul O’ Kane confirmed: “Labour is very clear that we support the principles contained in the PHSO report, which includes the principle that we must compensate those women.”—[Official Report, 1 May 2024; c 45.] It would therefore be helpful to know what exactly has changed since the election of a UK Labour Government. The report in question clearly identified maladministration by the Department for Work and Pensions because of its failure to act promptly by writing to all the women who would be impacted by changes to the state pension age.”
“I hope that we can come together today to show solidarity with their campaign and to send a clear message to the UK Government that its handling of the issue has been unacceptable and that compensation should be paid at the earliest opportunity to all the affected women. When the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman was published last year, the Scottish Parliament held two debates. During both of them, we heard widespread support for paying compensation.”
“The Scottish Government has consistently called on the United Kingdom Government to right the historic wrongs suffered by the WASPI women. The First Minister and I were pleased to meet WASPI campaigners on 19 December 2024, during a rally here at the Scottish Parliament. That meeting allowed us to emphasise the Scottish Government’s continued support for the women’s cause and to reiterate that we stand with them and always will. I welcome those campaigners who have joined us once again and are in the public gallery today, but I share their deep frustration—indeed, anger— that this debate has to take place at all. However, it is once again necessary to come together to show, and to vote on, our support for the WASPI women.”
“However, in spite of the remarkable work that is under way, it is also evident that, under devolution, Scotland has one hand tied behind its back, while Westminster’s priorities lie elsewhere.”
“Eradicating child poverty remains the top priority for the Scottish Government. By the end of June, we will publish an annual progress report detailing action taken across 2024-25. The Scottish budget for 2025-26 outlines how we will continue to drive progress, including through continued investment in our Scottish child payment, early learning and childcare, free bus travel, and the expansion of free school meals. We have also committed to spending £3 million to develop the systems to effectively scrap the impact of the two-child cap in 2026, which the Child Poverty Action Group estimates could lift 15,000 children out of poverty. Jackie Dunbar: I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. It is clear that the Scottish Government is throwing the full weight of the Scottish budget behind its priority mission to eradicate child poverty.”
“The Presiding Officer: The cabinet secretary will now take questions on the issues that were raised in her statement. I intend to allow around 20 minutes for that, after which we will move to the next item of business. Members who wish to put a question should press their request-to-speak buttons now.”
“Although we cannot mitigate every decision that is made by the UK Government, we are determined to provide support for the people of Scotland. Our winter heating payment is just one example of how we are using our devolved powers to make a positive difference and to support the people of Scotland with their rising energy costs. It is reliable, guaranteed, not dependent on arbitrary temperature readings, and designed in partnership with the people who are receiving it—and it provides support to more than double the number of people who previously got help under the DWP. Our winter heating payment is a very clear example of how the Scottish Government is doing more to support the people of Scotland through the long cold winter months.”
“All those programmes provide valuable support with energy bills to people across Scotland but, as I have previously highlighted in the chamber, we all recognise that households across the country acutely feel twin pressures: first, cuts to the social security budgets that have been made over many years by successive UK Governments— Conservative and now Labour—and, secondly, rising energy costs, despite Labour’s promise before the election that people’s energy bills would fall if it was in government; of course, those bills are set to rise again this month. Already, this year alone, the Scottish Government has spent £134 million on mitigating the effects of UK Government welfare decisions. In doing so, we are working closely with our partners in local government across Scotland to support people who are in crisis.”
“It will deliver support to all Scottish pensioner households, as we always intended to do before the UK Government’s decision to cut the winter fuel payment. We are also continuing our child winter heating payment, which, last year, provided £7.8 million to support more than 33,000 children, young people and their families who had higher energy needs due to disability or a health condition. That benefit is not available elsewhere in the UK. In total, this winter, we are forecasted to invest more than £65 million in our three winter heating benefits, which will provide vital support with energy bills to more than 630,000 people.”
“The scheme focuses on long-term, sustainable measures, and that additional funding will help approximately 1,500 additional households to install energy efficiency measures and more efficient heating systems, which will save households about £400 per year on average in energy bills. Most important, I announced in November that I will bring forward regulations to introduce in winter 2025-26 a universal pension-age winter heating payment of at least £100 for every Scottish pensioner household, with those in receipt of a relevant low-income benefit receiving £200 or £300 depending on their age. That universal benefit will provide much-needed support that is not available anywhere else in the UK.”
“In November, I announced that the Scottish Government would invest a further £20 million in the Scottish welfare fund’s budget, to be distributed to councils in the current financial year in line with the existing distribution arrangements that have been agreed with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. That increase will help councils to meet increased demands on the fund and will go some way towards providing vital support to people who are in crisis. I also confirmed that we would invest an additional £20 million in the warmer homes Scotland scheme, which is our national fuel poverty scheme, taking the total investment in the scheme to £85 million in the current financial year.”
“Although Scottish ministers have no formal role in the administration of reserved benefits, the Scottish Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that Scottish people are supported to take up the benefits that they are entitled to. We have committed to investing more than £12 million in the provision of free income maximisation support, welfare and debt advice services in 2024-25, including support for the Citizens Advice Scotland money talk team service, which last year supported more than 9,000 older people as part of our co-ordinated benefit take-up strategy. Of course, winter heating payment is not the only form of support that the Scottish Government provides to help people to meet their heating costs.”
“This winter, we will invest even more—£26.8 million—in winter heating payments, which more than triples the £8.5 million that was provided on average by the DWP in each of the seven years before the introduction of our payment. As of 15 December 2024, more than 218,000 winter heating payments had been made to people this winter, totalling £12.8 million, with the remaining payments due to be completed by the end of next month. In recognition of the current pressures on household budgets, winter heating payment was uprated by 10.1 per cent for winter 2023-24, from £50 to £55.05, and by a further 6.7 per cent for this winter, to £58.75. Eligibility for winter heating payment is linked to receipt of relevant reserved benefits, such as universal credit and pension credit.”
“That is why our winter heating payment breaks the link with an arbitrarily-defined weather dependency and provides financial support no matter the weather, so that low-income households are paid automatically and know that they will be paid, rather than having the uncertainty of waiting for weather readings on seven consecutive days before they receive a payment. Because of the cold-spell requirement, as few as 4,000 people received a payment in 2019-20 and just 11,000 got one in 2021-22. In sharp contrast, when our winter heating payment was launched in 2022-23, the total number of people who received it was 398,240. Official statistics show that more than 453,000 people got winter heating payments from the Scottish Government last winter, thanks to an investment of £25 million.”
“Importantly, when planning our winter heating payment, we listened carefully to feedback from our public consultation and our social security experience panels, as we do with all our benefits, which we co-design with the people who will receive them. That is a marked difference between our approach and that of the UK Government. People told us that they overwhelmingly supported removal of the cold-spell requirement. Age UK similarly supported that, and it has called on the UK Government to remove it.”
“The United Kingdom Government’s cold weather payment previously provided £25 per cold spell, only when the average of the mean daily temperature recorded was equal to, or below, 0°C for seven consecutive days—an entire week. That UK Government benchmark is, of course, totally arbitrary, because temperatures are measured at weather stations that are often miles from people’s homes, and it fails to take into account other factors, such as wind chill and driving rain, that can have a major impact on the temperature of people’s homes—particularly those of people who are on low incomes. The UK Government’s reliance on an arbitrary and arcane definition of what is cold and what is not meant that, in winter 2021-22, absolutely no payments were made—not a single one—in areas of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Shetland, Orkney, Wick and Fife, for example.”
“I am pleased to make a statement to members today, as asked for by the Scottish Conservatives, on the uptake of winter heating payment during the past five years. Winter heating payment is the Scottish Government benefit to support people who are on low incomes with the cost of heating during the winter months. Our benefit replaced the Department for Work and Pensions cold weather payment in winter 2022-23. It provides a targeted, reliable and guaranteed annual payment of £58.75 to those who are most in need of help with their energy costs every winter, including people of pension age, disabled adults and families who have responsibility either for a child under the age of five or for a disabled child.”
“I also say, with the best will, that the Conservative members who made contributions today should be a little embarrassed in coming to us for more money to be spent on public services at the same time as their leader is asking for £1 billion-worth of cuts to public services because of tax cuts. The First Minister’s speech yesterday, in which he talked about delivery and hope, set the tone for not just this budget but the direction of the Government—[Interruption.]”
“I also agree with Willie Rennie—and we have made this point in the chamber previously—that the Scottish child payment, although it has had an impact, needs to be a bridge to further changes and to challenging other parts of Government to also help to eradicate child poverty. He said that he had more ideas—he mentioned some in his speech, and we are keen to hear from him. Miles Briggs and others pointed to some other ideas and suggestions. I say to all colleagues that, while the budget has not passed and we take nothing for granted, we should be honest about the cost of what is proposed.”
“At the same time, we see the devastating impact across the public sector and the voluntary sector, and across the economy in general, of the increase in employers’ national insurance contributions. Yes, there have been improvements, but it would be fair to say that there has been some disappointment as well. Patrick Harvie may have already won best intervention of 2025 with his intervention on Michael Marra. However, he also pointed—quite rightly, I think—to the fact that the Scottish child payment is the single most effective policy for tackling child poverty. That is what the evidence has shown, and the UK Government should be learning from what has happened in Scotland.”
“Overall, the budget continues to commit more than £3 billion a year to measures that will tackle poverty in our country. In reflecting on some of the remarks from members today, I begin on a point of consensus with Paul O’Kane—I hope to carry that on as much as possible in 2025, but we shall see. He was right to point out that there are now better relationships with the United Kingdom Government. To be fair, there was a low bar, given where we were, but we have demonstrably better relations. Nevertheless, we should be clear about the practical implications of the UK Government’s approach for the budget. There is only a 1 per cent real-terms increase in the resource expenditure in 2025-26, so that is the context that we are in.”
“Colleges, which were mentioned earlier, are so important for social mobility in Scotland through ensuring that people have better-paid jobs. Will the Scottish Government at last turn its focus to that aspect? Shirley-Anne Somerville: The investment in employability services has been protected this year, and the 2025-26 budget sees an uplift of more than 2 per cent on the 2024-25 budget for the college resource allocation, in recognition of the importance that colleges play. Indeed, investment in education is important overall, whether it is in early learning and childcare, the school clothing grant, the further expansion of free school meals or the expansion of breakfast clubs. I absolutely recognise the importance that we must continue to place on education, for our youngest citizens all the way up to our adult learners.”