Citizen income

The Conservatives do not have a good reputation when it comes to the benefits system, it is true. Most of us have had a tax statement recently which shows that welfare payments account for a huge percentage of government revenues, so it is right to attempt to reduce this in a fair and efficient manner; unfortunately initiatives like the “bedroom tax” and Universal Credit have been ill-thought through and badly executed.

It is right, therefore, that the Conservatives in Holyrood should scrutinise the proposed citizen income scheme in Scotland (“SNP warned basic income plan will hit vulnerable”, Thescotsman,31march).

Scottish Conservative shadow social security secretary Adam Tomkins’ assessment that this scheme is “wellthe intended” but “unsustainable” and ultimately counterproductive seems a reasonable conclusion, especially as it is based upon evidence from within the Scottish Government itself. What is unreasonable is the response from the “spokesperson for Angela Constance” who takes the stock SNP line of “Tories bad” and any challenge to SNP policy is “hypocrisy”.

It is telling that this minister’s aide does not offer a counterargument to Prof Tomkins’ analysis and explain why citizen income is not the bizarre and costly concept it seems.

I will conclude myself that piloting the scheme has only one purpose – to placate the six Green MSPS and keep the SNP in power.

(DR) SJ CLARK Easter Road, Edinburgh