Benefits savings can be found

Sir, - During a talk in Aberdeen, SNP social security minister Jeanne Freeman said 28% of recipients of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) were found ineligible for Personal Independence Payment on a first assessment, and 65% of these decisions were reversed on appeal.

This means that, after what I assume was a thorough review, the number of recipients went down by 10%.

DLA accounts for £1.4 billion, half the £2.8bn spend devolved to the new Scottish benefits agency.

A 10% saving would make £140 million available for carers, education, NHS or, indeed, four years’ supply of baby boxes.

Scotland’s DLA payments are actually 25% higher per capita than the rest of the UK because we get 10.7% of the UK DLA budget with 8.5% of the population.

I have no idea why we have more disabled people in Scotland but if

“A 10% saving would make £140 million available for carers, education, NHS or, indeed, four years’ supply of baby boxes

Ms Freeman could get the Scottish spend down to UK levels, that would knock a total of £400m off the bill, which coincidentally is the amount required to set up the organisation and hire 1,500 new staff in the first place.

Allan Sutherland. 1 Willow Row, Stonehaven.