Impact of UK Government Welfare Cuts and Universal Credit on Poverty

As an amendment to motion S5M-14621 in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville (Impact of UK Government Welfare Cuts and Universal Credit on Poverty), leave out from "condemns" to end and insert "believes that a social security system should simplify benefits, encourage those who can to work and support those who cannot, and that therefore the principle of Universal Credit is correct; acknowledges the difficulties that have been experienced during the roll-out of the system; welcomes changes, such as the £1.7 billion announced in the 2018 autumn Budget, which make Universal Credit more generous than the system it replaces, and believes that, with the powers under the Scotland Act 2016 to create new benefits and top up reserved benefits, the Scottish Government can no longer justify simply criticising UK Government policy, and must now focus on its own implementation plans."