Social Security (Scotland) Bill

The Social Security (Scotland) Bill was introduced by the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities, Angela Constance MSP, on 20 June 2017. The main purpose of the Bill is to pass control of a number of social security benefits from the UK Government to the Scottish Government.

• Social Security (Scotland) Bill As Introduced (612KB pdf)

SPICe Briefings

Read the SPICe Briefing

Stage 1

The Social Security Committee was the lead Committee scrutinising the legislation and began taking evidence on the Bill, at Stage 1, in September 2017. It completed its Stage 1 consideration in December 2017.

Stage 2

The Committee considered the Bill at Stage 2 on 1, 8 and 22 February and completed its consideration on 1 March. You can read the Minutes and Official Reports here:

1 February

Minutes and Official Report

8 February

Minutes and Official Report

22 February

Minutes and Official Report

1 March

Minutes and Official Report

• Social Security (Scotland) Bill As Amended (780KB pdf)

Stage 3

Parliament considered the Bill at Stage 3 on 25 April 2018.

• Social Security (Scotland) Bill As Passed (865KB pdf)

Official Report

Timetable

The Committee considered the Bill at Stage 2 on 1, 8 and 22 February and completed its consideration on 1 March.

Evidence

The Committee issued a call for views on the Bill which can be accessed via the links below. The call for views ran from 30 June to 23 August 2017.

Read the news release 

Read the call for views

Read the submissions received

Our call for views is also available in the following formats-

British Sign Language

• Large print, 18 point (177 KB pdf)
• English audio (9.44MB mp3)
• Easy read (632KB pdf)

Correspondence

• Convener to Minister for Social Security on Social Security Bill update - 18 January 2017 (81KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on Social Security Bill update - 25 January 2017 (218KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on Social Security Bill - 23 February 2017 (578KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on Social Security (Scotland) Bill - 21 June 2017 (230KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on expert advice to inform devolved social security arrangements - 22 June 2017 (1.80MB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on independent scrutiny - 4 September 2017 (251KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on social security agency location - 18 September 2017 (362KB pdf)
• Equalities and Human Rights Committee Convener to Convener on National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons - 10 October 2017 (96KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on social security IT system - 25 October 2017 (494KB pdf)
• Acting Convener of Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee to Convener - 27 October 2017 (35KB pdf)
• Response from Convener to Equalities and Human Rights Committee Convener on National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons - 25 October 2017 (96KB pdf)
• Response from Convener to Acting Convener of Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee - 8 November 2017 (35KB pdf)
• Scottish Government's Social Security Chief Digital Officer to Convener of Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee - 7 December 2017 (230KB pdf)
• Letter from Minister for Social Security and overview of Scottish Government Stage 2 amendments - 17 January 2018 (519KB pdf)
• Letter from Minister for Social Security and Consultation on Draft Regulations Making Provision in Relation to Social Security Appeals - 22 January 2018 (1.32MB pdf)
• Convener to DPLR Committee Convener on Social Security (Scotland) Bill Subordinate Legislation Procedures - 26 January 2018 (100KB pdf) 
• Low Incomes Tax Reform Group to Convener on Carer's Allowance Supplement - 26 January 2018 (531KB pdf)
• Letter from Minister for Social Security and overview of Scottish Government Stage 2 amendments - 6 February 2018 (293KB pdf)
• Response from DPLR Committee Convener to Convener on Social Security (Scotland) Bill Subordinate Legislation Procedures - 6 February 2018 (177KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on terminal illness definition - 8 February 2018 (544KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on inalienability of assistance and information sharing amendments - 28 February 2018 (505KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on Social Security Experience Panels - 7 March 2018 (761KB pdf)
• Joint letter from Engender, Scottish Women's Aid and Close the Gap on Universal Credit split payments - 13 March 2018 (533KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on Best Start Grant and Funeral Expense Assistance Regulations - 15 March 2018 (542KB pdf)
• SHRC Chair to Convener on Stage 2 amendments 116 and 117 - 19 March 2018 (211KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on Social Security Scotland Agency recruitment - 22 March 2018 (55KB pdf)
• Convener to Minister for Social Security on Best Start Grant Regulations - 28 March 2018 (20KB pdf)
• Response from Minister for Social Security to Convener on Best Start Grant Regulations - 3 April 2018 (107KB pdf)
• Convener to Minister for Social Security on social security appeals - 13 April 2018 (97KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on independent advocacy amendment - 16 April 2018 (1MB pdf)
• Minster for Social Security to Convener on terminal illness - 18 April 2018 (2.97MB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on Social Security Agency location - 23 April 2018 (227KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on Local Delivery Relationship leads recruitment - 24 April 2018 (172KB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener on Scottish Government Stage 3 amendments - 24 April 2018 (4.5MB pdf)
• Minister for Social Security to Convener - 26 April 2018 (38KB pdf)

Scottish Government Policy Position Papers / Illustrative Regulations

• Agency Implementation - 7 September 2017 (278KB pdf)
• ICT Implementation for Social Security - 7 September 2017 (136KB pdf)
• Social Security Principles and a Rights Based Approach - 18 September 2017 (135KB pdf)
• Social Security Charter and Independent Scrutiny - 18 September 2017 (133KB pdf)
• Re-determinations and Appeals - 22 September 2017 (103KB pdf)
• Social Security Fraud and Offence Provisions - 22 September 2017 (136KB pdf)
• Disability Assistance and Employment-Injury Assistance - 29 September 2017 (234KB pdf)
• Early Years Assistance (Best Start Grant) Illustrative Regulations and Policy Narrative - 29 September 2017 (667KB pdf) 
• Support for Carers - 18 October 2017 (283KB pdf)
• Funeral Expense Assistance Illustrative Regulations and Policy Narrative - 30 November 2017 (799KB pdf)
• Scrutiny of social security regulations - 28 February 2017 (3.7MB pdf)

Disability and Carers Benefits Expert Advisory Group

• Scrutiny Workstream Final Report (429KB pdf)

Work by other Committees

The Finance Committee published a call for views on the Financial Memorandum. The Committee considered the Bill at its meetings on 13 September and 4 October.

Read the call for views

• Finance and Constitution Committee Convener to Convener on Financial Memorandum - 4 October 2017 (261KB pdf)

The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the Bill at Stage 1 at its meetings on 12 September and 3, 24 and 31 October 2017.

Read the DPLR Committee Stage One Report on the Social Security (Scotland) Bill.

Report

The Committee published its report to the Scottish Parliament on 11 December 2017.

Read the Social Security Committee’s 3rd Report, 2017 (Session 5), Stage One Report on the Social Security (Scotland) Bill (SP Paper 244)

Read the news release

• Social Security (Scotland) Bill Infographics (1.45MB pdf)

Responses

The Scottish Government responded to the Committee's report on 14 December  2017.

• Read the Scottish Government's response to the Committee's report (1.16MB pdf)