Parliamentary questions
Mark Griffin
2,186 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22100 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 March 2019, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding whether, during the discussions, the DWP advised that change would threaten eligibility for reserved passported benefits, and, if…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-22100 on 20 March 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/…
20 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22099 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 March 2019, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding what evidence it received that demonstrated that changing the qualifying periods for disability assistance would cause people ent…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-22099 on 20 March 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/…
20 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22087 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 March 2019, what the working age client data was.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for the administration of Severe Disablement Allowance and has shared specific information on this on a confidential basis. You can access data published by DWP about SDA at https://www.gov.uk/govern…
20 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its statement that it "will establish a timescale of between 40 and 60 working days for a re-determination of Disability Assistance", what its response is to the answer to written question 232059 lodged at the UK Parliament, which states that, between June and October 2018, …
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Re-determinations and DWP mandatory reconsiderations involve different processes. In our system, a re-determination means that Social Security Scotland will make a fresh determination carried out by a different officer, taking any new evidence into account, w…
19 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether an individual can seek a re-determination or review of a decision of Social Security Scotland not to provide a home assessment.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The circumstances outlined in the Consultation on Disability Assistance in which the Agency may invite a person for a face to face assessment are consistent with section 14 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018. The circumstances outlined in the consulta…
19 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether an individual will have an absolute right to a home assessment for disability assistance in the event that they request one as a result of Social Security Scotland having determined that a face-to-face assessment is required.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: We have committed to providing home assessments for those who need them. Our Consultation on Disability Assistance seeks views on the details of this and responses to the consultation will inform policy development. The consultation can be found at: https://…
19 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many young people will be required to apply for DWP-delivered personal independence payment instead of disability assistance following its decision not to open eligibility for new applicants aged 16 or over.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Disability Assistance consultation sets out the Scottish Government’s proposed policy approach to replacements for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Attendance Allowance (AA). The consultation document states that …
19 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with COSLA regarding the recognition of short-term assistance for the purposes of ensuring continuity of the passported entitlements that local authorities control during the period when short-term assistance is paid.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is currently consulting on Short-term Assistance as part of the consultation on Disability Assistance. We are holding discussions with COSLA and other stakeholders during the consultation period as we develop our policy proposals.
18 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason its consultation on disability assistance does not invite a response to its proposals regarding (a) fluctuating conditions, (b) the rate of benefits, (c) access to accessible vehicle leases and equipment and (d) appointees.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Question 64 of the Disability Assistance consultation requests any further comments consultees wish to make relating to Disability Assistance not specifically covered by the consultation document. This question allows consultees to provide any comments on are…
18 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its consultation on disability assistance, whether access to accessible vehicle leases and equipment will be maintained in the event of a continuing payment being (a) reduced, (b) stopped, (c) subject to a challenge or re-determination and (d) awaiting a determination from t…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government will introduce Short-Term Assistance (STA) which will be available to clients who have an award reduced or stopped as a result of an entitlement decision and will ensure they will continue to be paid the full value of their assistance,…
18 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its consultation on disability assistance, with regard to duration of awards, what mechanism it will use to agree a timeframe to consider the impact of a condition where a person has a fluctuating condition.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Guidance on decision making timeframes is being developed for Social Security Scotland case managers. The guidance will set out how decisions will be reached by case managers, using a person-centred approach.
18 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its consultation on disability assistance, with regard to duration of awards, how it defines "significant development milestones" and the conditions under which these would occur, and which of these would require children to be reviewed in exception to the rule that it will …
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Through advice from clinical experts, significant developmental milestones for children will be defined within guidance being developed for Social Security Scotland case managers. The guidance will set out where exceptions to the Scottish Government policy on…
18 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its consultation on disability assistance, with regard to duration of awards, what mechanism it will use to determine whether a person is likely to have a significant change in their needs in order to set a review point, and whether a person will be entitled to request a re-…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: We are inviting views on our approach to the duration of awards and redeterminations in our Consultation on Disability Assistance. Responses to the consultation will inform policy development. The consultation can be found at: https://consult.gov.scot/socia…
18 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its consultation on disability assistance, what consideration it has given to a person electing to apply under a system of automatic entitlement to assistance.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Based on advice from the Disability and Carers Benefits Expert Advisory Group, our Experience Panels and stakeholders, we have decided not to introduce automatic entitlement to disability assistance as it is not deemed to be person centred. This can be found…
18 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what questions it has put to the social security experience panels regarding automatic entitlement to disability assistance, and what responses it has received.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Research was undertaken with Experience Panel members regarding automatic entitlement in July and August 2018. The findings were published on 29 November 2019 and can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/social-security-experience-panels-award-du…
18 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its consultation on disability assistance, whether it plans to produce a list of the types of supporting information that will be considered and, if so, whether this will be inclusive rather than exhaustive.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: We are inviting views on our approach to sources of supporting information in our Consultation on Disability Assistance. Responses to the consultation will inform policy development. The consultation can be found at: https://consult.gov.scot/social-security…
18 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its comments in its consultation on disability assistance regarding Social Security Scotland's ability to use face-to-face assessments in prescribed circumstances for the determination of disability assistance for working age people, for what reason it has not requested speci…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: We are inviting views on our approach to home visits and re-determinations in our Consultation on Disability Assistance. Responses to the consultation will inform policy development. The consultation can be found at: https://consult.gov.scot/social-security…
18 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take where a majority of responses to any of the questions set out at section 5 of its consultation on disability assistance state that they disagree with its position.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Responses to the consultation will inform policy development.
18 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its comment that “for Disability Assistance for Children and Young People, and Disability Assistance for Older People, it is our intention to make decisions about entitlement using existing supporting information only and not through face-to-face assessments”, whether it has…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Page 23 of the consultation on Disability Assistance sets out our intended approach to the decision making process for children, young people and older people. Policy development regarding face-to-face assessments for children, young people and older people w…
18 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether disability assistance case managers will be trained to (a) have specialist knowledge regarding a single or small number of conditions or (b) take a generalist approach with a knowledge of a wide number of conditions.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: We are inviting views on training for case managers in our Consultation on Disability Assistance. Responses to the consultation will inform policy development. The consultation can be found at: https://consult.gov.scot/social-security/improving-disability-as…
13 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21923 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 13 March 2019, how much the agency arrangements will cost each year, broken down by (a) benefit and (b) the methodology used to calculate this, and on what date the formal discussions with the DWP regarding these …
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-21923 on 13 March 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…
13 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what devolved social security will be launched in Winter 2019, after the completion of wave 1 in Summer 2019 and ahead of the launch of the new service for disability assistance for children and young people.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Following the launch of our new Best Start Grant payments and Funeral Expense Assistance in summer 2019, we will launch our new Young Carer Grant in the autumn. The grant will provide £300 to young adults aged 16 and 17 (and 18 if still at school) with signif…
12 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comments in its disability assistance qualifying periods policy position paper, what discussions it has had with the DWP regarding changing the qualifying periods for disability assistance; whether the DWP advised that change would threaten eligibility for reserved passp…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Scottish Government and DWP officials are engaged in ongoing discussions regarding the safe and secure transfer of devolved benefits, including Disability Assistance. These discussions have included passporting arrangements for reserved benefits. The Scottis…
12 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comments in its disability assistance qualifying periods policy position paper, what advice it received to support the assertion that "There is also a risk that, should eligibility rules diverge significantly from current DWP rules, Disability Assistance may not continue…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-22100 on 20 March 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/…
12 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comments in its disability assistance qualifying periods policy position paper, what evidence it received that demonstrated that changing the qualifying periods for disability assistance would cause the people entitled to disability assistance to have "confusion and disr…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: As stated in the policy position paper, where clients receive passported benefits up to six months later than when they started to be paid Disability Assistance, we believe this would result in confusion and disruption to clients. We will use the feedback fr…
12 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comments in its duration of awards and automatic entitlement for disability assistance policy position paper, what the minimum review period will be for a person's live case to be transferred from the DWP.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government will use feedback from the current Disability Assistance consultation to inform its approach to case transfers. The Scottish Government is undertaking specific consultation with the Experience Panels in relation to case transfers and w…
12 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comments in its duration of awards and automatic entitlement for disability assistance policy position paper, other than by way of a change of circumstances, what standard of evidence will be required to justify a review before the indicated award review date as a result…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: I refer the member to the answer to S5W-22092 on 21 March 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/28877.asp…
12 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comments in its duration of awards and automatic entitlement for disability assistance policy position paper, whether all information supplied to Social Security Scotland, regardless of whether it is formally regarded as a change of circumstance, would be permissible to …
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government will use feedback from the current Disability Assistance consultation and the Experience Panels to develop a framework on when undertaking a light-touch review earlier than the set award review date might be required.
12 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comments in its duration of awards and automatic entitlement for disability assistance policy position paper, how it defines non-engagement with a light-touch review, and on what other occasions Social Security Scotland will have the power to stop a person's disability a…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government will use feedback from the current Disability Assistance consultation and the Experience Panels to develop the definition of non-engagement with a light-touch review. We will also use this feedback to define the circumstances where pow…
12 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comment in its duration of awards and automatic entitlement for disability assistance policy position paper that, "There may be occasions where Social Security Scotland needs to instigate a review before the indicated award review date. Although these occasions are antic…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Social Security Scotland is under an obligation to protect public funds. When an allegation is made, there may be no way of knowing whether it has been done with malicious intent. All investigations will therefore be carried out under a presumption of innocen…