Parliamentary questions
Mark Griffin
2,186 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23072 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 May 2019, what the latest date discussions with IBM regarding an extension must (a) begin and (b) conclude.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: No formal dates for any discussions to begin and conclude have been agreed with IBM. In order to extend the contract, the Scottish Government would need to give IBM at least one month’s notice prior to the initial end date. Any discussions would need to take…
29 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23030 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 May 2019, when analysis of all relevant legislation, regulations, guidance and case law began or was commissioned.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23034 on 16 May 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…
29 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government further to the answers to questions S5W-23030, S5W-23031, S5W-23032, S5W-23033 and S5W-23034 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 May 2019, whether it will abide by the principle of non-regression when formulating the entitlement rules for disability assistance.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: We are committed to the safe and secure transition of cases so that at the point when an individual transitions to a devolved benefit, they will receive at least the same amount as they received from the equivalent reserved benefit.
29 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23033 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 May 2019, to ensure that they have distinct legal effect, whether the definition of important words as established by case law will be included in disability assistance regulations, rather than guidance.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23033 on 16 May 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28…
29 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-23032 and S5W-23034 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 May 2019, when the review process began or is due to begin, and when it is expected to conclude.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: There is no specific start or end date to the consideration and review of guidance, case law and regulations as it is part of the iterative policy and legislative development process.
29 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) caseload and (b) financial cost modelling it has conducted regarding the replacement of the 20-metre rule in disability assistance for working age people, and whether this modelling has been shared with experience panels and stakeholders.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The analysis of responses to the Disability Assistance consultation will be used to inform our approach to assessing mobility for Disability Assistance for Working Age People. Any modelling required will be carried out at the appropriate time in order to assi…
24 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) staffing hours and (b) financial resources it has committed to the review of the social security programme planning arrangements.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Scottish Government staffing hours on reviews are not tracked and are part of the overall programme effort. The financial resources committed to the review of the Social Security programme planning and governance is circa £120,000 (excluding VAT).
24 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) staffing hours and (b) financial resources it has committed to the review of the social security governance arrangements.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Scottish Government staffing hours on reviews are not tracked and are part of the overall programme effort. The financial resources committed to the review of the Social Security programme planning and governance is circa £120,000 (excluding VAT).
24 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) staffing hours and (b) financial resources it has committed to the review of the social security programme finance functions across the programme and agency.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The review of the social security finance functions is part of our ongoing business and continuous improvement approach. The review is being carried out by a Scottish Government official and no additional costs have been incurred.
24 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) staffing hours and (b) financial resources it has committed to update the social security programme business case.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Scottish Government staffing hours on updating the Social Security Programme business case are not tracked and are part of the overall programme effort. The financial resources committed to update the Social Security programme business case is circa £125,000 …
24 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) staffing hours and (b) financial resources it has committed to the review of the social security programme workforce.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The social security programme workforce review was part of our ongoing programme business and continuous improvement approach, involving a number of staff from a variety of roles across the programme and was therefore not costed separately. There was no addit…
24 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the review of the social security programme planning arrangements (a) began and (b) is expected to conclude.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: A review of the Social Security Programme planning arrangements began on 28 January 2019, and is expected to conclude this summer. It forms part of ongoing Programme continuous improvement activities.
24 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the review of the social security programme finance functions across the programme and agency (a) began and (b) is expected to conclude.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The review of financial functions began February 2019 and is expected to conclude shortly. The purpose of the financial review is to ensure that financial arrangements are evolving as the Social Security Programme grows in scale and complexity
24 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the work to update the social security programme business case (a) began and (b) is expected to conclude.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: An update to the Social Security Programme business case was commissioned on 28 March 2019 and began on 24 April 2019. In line with good business practice, developing and updating the programme will be a continuous process throughout the lifecycle of the Prog…
24 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the review of the social security programme workforce (a) began and (b) is expected to conclude.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: An internal review of the programme workforce needs to support the next phase of delivery began in December 2018, with staffing profiles agreed in April 2019 in line with Scottish Government financial processes.
24 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the work to review the social security programme governance arrangements (a) began and (b) is expected to conclude.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: A review of the Social Security Programme governance arrangements began on 28 January 2019, and is expected to conclude this summer. It forms part of ongoing Programme continuous improvement activities.
24 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22836 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 May 2019, what the secretary of state's response was to the cabinet secretary's further letter.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23453 on 5 June 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/288…
24 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22836 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 May 2019, how many recipients of Carer's Allowance have had (a) recovery action and (b) criminal proceedings taken against them as a result of having had overpayments going undetected because of reduced complian…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Under section 10 of the Carer’s Allowance Agency Agreement: DWP will not create new management information reports that detail performance specifically for customers resident in Scotland. Management information will only be supplied showing performance, at …
24 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22836 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 May 2019, whether the DWP has agreed to take into account the individual's circumstances when recovering overpayments, and how many claimants have had recovery action reduced as a result of the cabinet secretary…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: I have not yet received a response from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
23 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which branches form the Social Security Reserved Benefits and Strategic Engagement Division; what the function of each is, and how many staff there are in each, broken down by (a) headcount and (b) FTE.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Social Security Reserved Benefits and Strategic Engagement Division consists of two units; the Reserved Benefits Policy Unit and the Stakeholder Insights and Strategic Engagement Unit. The following table details the current functions of each branch. RE…
22 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether service design of Disability Assistance for Children and Young People is contingent on the outcome of its consultation on disability assistance in Scotland.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The service design of Disability Assistance for Children and Young People is being developed according to Agile methodology. It is not wholly contingent on the outcome of the Scottish Government’s Disability Assistance consultation, but will be substantially …
22 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when service design of Disability Assistance for Children and Young People will begin.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The service design for Disability Assistance for Children and Young People has already begun and is ongoing.
22 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the findings of its consultation on disability assistance in Scotland will be published.
Answer · Michael Russell: Public responses will be published online within 20 working days of the consultation closing. Following analysis of the consultation findings, a report will be published later this year.
22 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what policy work is being done to consider the alignment of disability benefits with existing devolved services.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government will consider feedback from the Disability Assistance Consultation in developing an approach to aligning disability benefits with existing devolved services.
22 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22962 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 May 2019, whether it can now provide the information that was requested regarding how many of its social security (a) programme, (b) directorate and (c) agency staff have previously been employed by the DWP, in …
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government record when an individual joins the organisation from another government department, but not which department it is. As previously stated, it is therefore not possible to report on the number of staff who have previously worked for the…
21 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it measures the disability pay gap of (a) it and its agencies and (b) the (i) third and (ii) private sectors.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government measures the disability pay gap of its own workforce and that of the agencies for which it holds relevant information, by analysing payroll data. Analysis of the disability pay gap is dependent on the voluntary declaration of disabilit…
21 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the disability pay gap is in (a) the Scottish Government, (b) its agencies, (c) NHS boards and (d) all other public bodies, broken down by public body.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Table 1 shows the mean and median disability pay gap for a) Scottish Government core and b) the agencies for which it holds pay data. Data for the Scottish Housing Regulator, the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) and Revenue Scotland has been withheld, due to…
21 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it works with the private and third sectors to report on their disability pay gap.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: As employment law is currently reserved, the Scottish Government cannot oblige employers in the third and private sector to report their disability pay gaps. However, the Scottish Government is committed to working with stakeholders to deliver improvements in…
17 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Social Security Scotland has submitted unaudited annual accounts with a complete working papers package or is expected to meet the latest submission date of 3 June 2019.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Social Security Scotland are on track for providing the draft unaudited annual accounts with complete working papers by 3 June 2019 as agreed with Audit Scotland.
17 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Social Security Scotland's Workforce Planning Group has not yet met.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Social Security Scotland works closely with the Social Security Programme on the long-term strategic workforce requirements of the devolution of benefits. The Social Security Scotland workforce planning group is an operational working level group to embed th…