SNP MSP Sandra White says the Social Security Committee met this morning (see our earlier coverage on Holyrood Live).

Ms White says the benefit recipients who gave evidence are adamant they do not want contractors carrying out assessments.

Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour asks how much it will cost to put people in place to carry out assessments.

Ms Freeman says the government are looking into experts who can work across the system to make it evidence based and fair.

"The best people to solve these issues are the people that know about it," she says.

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Social Security Minister Jeanne Freeman says private contractors will not be used for assessments but there will be no legislative ban.

Ms McNeill says she welcomes Ms Freeman's assurances that contractors will not be used but asks how we can be sure that future governments will not change this.

Ms Freeman says there is a limit to what this government can do in terms of "future proofing."

Labour MSP Pauline McNeil asks the Scottish government whether it plans to put specific provisions in the Social Security (Scotland) Bill to rule out private contractors conducting disability assessments.

Tory MSP Findlay Carson asks what the criteria will be for major towns and city centres to gain investment for free Wifi.

Mr Ewing says he will bring this forward in due course.

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Connectivity Secretary Fergus Ewing says the government is committed to driving digital innovation and in the coming year it will seek to make Scotland the most attractive place to invest in by increasing free Wifi in city centres,

Mr Ewing says thanks to the digital Scotland programme there are one third more people and businesses in Stirling that have access to superfast broadband.

SNP MSP Bruce Crawford asks the Scottish government what support it is giving to improve online connectivity in town and city centres.

Image source, PA/Scottish Parliament/Getty Images

General questions is next.

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The Social Security Committee moves into private session.

Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour asks if any thought has been given to how people are transferred from the current system to a more flexible one.

Jeremy Hewer from the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations says "the ball would be in the DWP's court" because they manage migrations.

John Dickie from the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland says there needs to be clarity on why a claimant would be rejected for flexibility and how that would be communicated.

Mr Dickie says the system is so close to going live and there is no clarity on that.

He says there needs to be more assurances from government that they have the system to cope with these flexibilities.

Jeremy Hewer from the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations says "40% of housing association tenants will be on Universal Credit."

Mr Hewer says, because of the way this is paid, tenants are likely to be a month in arrears.

Emma Shields from Renfrewshire Council says she welcomes flexibility for more frequent payments but that claimants must understand what that means and may require budget support.

Ms Shields says claimants may not have considered that more frequent payments could put them under more pressure in the short term.

Jeremy Hewer from the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations says there are "grave concerns" over and accelerated roll-out.

Mr Hewer says there is concern over the lack of information landlords get.

Jeremy Hewer from the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations says he is surprised that, given this is a housing payment, that there is no stipulation that it must be paid to a joint bank account.

Michael McClements says COSLA would support split payments.

Mr McClements says the payments need to be thought through with the possibility of pilots.

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins says he is in favour of flexibilities and there should be the option to tailor Universal Credit in Scotland.

Mr Tomkins asks if the witnesses are in favour of split payments.

John Dickie from the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland says he has "deep concerns" about the way Universal Credit is paid to single claimants.

Mr Dickie says the idea about splitting payments is welcome but there are challenges.

Emma Shields from Renfrewshire Council says the main concern is that whether people will have the right to appeal and more clarity on the reasons claims may be rejected.

Committee convener Sandra White asks the witnesses if they still have concerns over the regulations.

Jeremy Hewer from the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations says there is concerns that housing associations will not know which tenants can be flexible and which can't.

Mr Hewer says that data sharing must be better.

He says there are challenges with Universal Credit and it is about supporting people through the process.

"Navigating the maze can be quite tricky," he says.

The Universal Credit (Claims and Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 were laid before Parliament on 29 June 2017, and come into force on 4 October 2017.

The regulations will eventually give most Scottish universal credit (UC) claimants the right to request:

• payment of UC twice a month
• that the UC housing costs element is paid directly to their landlord (both social sector and private landlords)

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The committee will now take evidence on the Universal Credit (Claims and Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 (SSI 2017/227) from-

• John Dickie from the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland
• Jeremy Hewer from the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations
• Michael McClements from COSLA
• Emma Shields from Renfrewshire Council