Stop dragging your feet on welfare plans, SNP warned

NICOLA Sturgeon’s Government has been warned by Whitehall to “stop dragging its feet” on implementing its new welfare plans, throwing up the prospect that UK ministers might have to step in to maintain payments.

Last month, MSPS backed the transfer of 11 new benefits from Westminster to Holyrood, including Personal Independence Payments and the Carer’s Allowance. They total £3 billion a year and are relied upon annually by 1.4 million Scots.

Jeane Freeman, the SNP Government’s Social Security Minister, hailed the occasion as “historic,” saying it marked the “single biggest transfer of powers since devolution began”. But today David Mundell, the Scottish Secretary, and his Cabinet colleague Esther Mcvey, the Work and Pensions Secretary, warn the First Minister that her administration is running the risk of missing a key deadline, April 2020, to introduce her plans, including establishing a new social security agency.

Already, Whitehall has angered Scottish ministers by suggesting it is ready to step in should the SNP Government find it impossible to meet the deadline. In a joint article for The Herald, the UK Cabinet ministers say: “What really matters is delivering the smooth transfer of welfare powers by the agreed date of April 2020 while ensuring payments are not put at risk.

“This is our priority and it has to be the Scottish Government’s also. Key to this is the Scottish Government

establishing the first Scottish social security agency.

“Worryingly, they haven’t yet set out a timetable for the agency being fully operational and capable of delivering the benefits it will administer. They need to stop dragging their feet or there is a real risk they will miss the deadline.”

The ministers explain the UK Government has already introduced Universal Credit choices for the Scottish Government, has supported the implementation of Fair Start Scotland, and been helping the SNP administration bring in a Carer’s Allowance supplement.

“But we cannot properly support the Scottish Government in managing the transfer of the remaining devolved powers, including the key disability benefits, until they produce plans,” insist Mr Mundell and Ms Mcvey.

“Time is ticking and the ball is in the Scottish Government’s court,” they declare.

The UK ministers argue that too often in Scotland sensitive welfare issues are “turned into political footballs” and “weaponised”.

This, they insist, “needs to end.”

Ms Freeman said: “We are disappointed the UK Government has chosen this route to raise issues that are inaccurate. Our plans to establish Social Security Scotland are on track and we will ensure Scotland has a social security system that has dignity and respect at its heart.”

MSPS recently passed the Scottish Government’s Social Security Bill. The legislation marks an important step towards creating a Scottish welfare system and MSPS on all sides declared it a historic day for Scotland. Neither of us would disagree. It marks one of the biggest transfers of powers since devolution – and we are proud to have delivered on our promises in the 2016 Scotland Act. As a result, more decisions are to be taken in Scotland while guaranteeing important Uk-wide payments – such as the state pension – remain.

The new welfare powers include 11 benefits, worth around £2.8 billion a year, which are relied upon by 1.4million Scots. So as a Government which believes in devolution, we were pleased to see the new Bill passed. But now we have to complete the job.

What really matters is delivering the smooth transfer of welfare powers by the agreed date of April 2020 while ensuring payments are not put at risk. This is our priority and it has to be the Scottish Government’s also.

Key to this is the Scottish Government establishing the first Scottish social security agency.

Worryingly it hasn’t yet set out a timetable for the agency being fully operational and capable of delivering the benefits it will administer. It needs to stop dragging its feet or there is a real risk it will miss the deadline.

The UK Government has already introduced Universal Credit choices for the Scottish Government and supported the implementation of

Fair Start Scotland, an employment support service. We’re also helping the Scottish Government to bring in a Carer’s Allowance supplement. This is against a backdrop where more than 200,000 people have moved into employment across Scotland since 2010, supported by our wider welfare reforms.

But now we cannot properly support the Scottish Government in

Holyrood must now lead a proper debate on priorities

managing the transfer of the remaining devolved powers, including the key disability benefits, until it is able to produce plans. Time is ticking and the ball is in the Scottish Government’s court.

We want to see the devolution of welfare powers in action. Too often in Scotland, we have seen difficult and sensitive welfare issues turned into political footballs. That needs to end and we believe the greater responsibility that comes with more powers will improve the debate about welfare in Scotland.

The signs suggest that is starting to happen. During the passage of the Social Security Bill, we heard MSPS discuss some difficult issues.

How, for example, should a new Scottish welfare system best ensure that people who are diagnosed with a terminal illness are fast-tracked onto the benefits they need? There was a thoughtful debate informed by contributions from the medical profession and charity sector.

Nicola Sturgeon appealed directly to MSPS not to politicise the issue. We hope the welfare debate continues in that vein. It serves no-one to “weaponise” sensitive issues for political purposes. It cannot be healthy to close down debate – especially one as important as this.

The devolution of welfare powers means Holyrood can create new benefits or top up existing ones. New tax powers mean the Scottish Government can raise as much or as little as they choose to fund their policies.

Holyrood must now lead a proper debate on priorities – and paying for them. Scottish Government ministers are entitled to question the UK benefits system and we expect they will. But the questions now for them are simple. What are their plans and where is their timetable?

Esther Mcvey is UK Work and Pensions Secretary; David Mundell is Secretary of State for Scotland

Agenda is a column for outside contributors.

Contact: agenda@theherald.co.uk