Summary

  • The Social Security Committee takes evidence on the new social security tribunal proposal

  • Opposition party leaders and MSPs quiz Nicola Sturgeon during first minister's questions

  • A members' debate marks Scottish Apprenticeship Week

  • Equalities secretary gives statement on plan to tackle child poverty

  • MSPs debate safeguarding cultural heritage

  1. Bullying in schoolspublished at 11:48 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    Tory MSP Brian Whittle asks about action to ensure that, in instances of bullying, schools act to protect both parties and ensure that the school environment remains a safe place.

  2. Local authorities have powers to ensure homes fit for human habitationpublished at 11:47 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    Housing Minister Kevin Stewart says local authorities are required to ensure housing is wind- and water-tight, and fit for human habitation.

    Registered social landlords must also ensure housing complies with housing standards, he adds.

    SNP MSP Angus MacdonaldImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    SNP MSP Angus Macdonald

    Local authorities can use their powers to ensure people have a right to essential repairs, the minister states.

    Mr MacDonald says some local authorities are hesitant to use the missing shares powers and asks what can be done to ensure them to make use of them.

    It is for local authorities to decide how best to make use of their powers but they are being encouraged to share best practice through the Scottish Housing Network, Mr Stewart says.

  3. Council tenants and communal repairspublished at 11:46 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    SNP MSP Angus MacDonald inquires about protecting the rights of council tenants who are in a minority position regarding essential communal repairs.

  4. Discussions on Bellgrove Hotel ongoingpublished at 11:44 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    Housing Minister Kevin StewartImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    Housing Minister Kevin Stewart

    Housing Minister Kevin Stewart says discussions are ongoing between all stakeholders.

    Housing recommendations published earlier this month include how to provide support for those with complex needs, such as mental health or addiction, he says.

    Mr Mason suggests there needs to be a change in regulations to improve homeless hostels.

    Mr Stewart says the Bellgrove Hotel is not typical of homeless accommodation and says a change in regulations is therefore unlikely to have a huge impact.

    The solution to the problems at Bellgrove must be part of a wider effort to tackle homelessness in Glasgow, he adds.

  5. Background: New plan to tackle Scottish homelessness proposedpublished at 11:42 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    Media caption,

    MSPs propose plan based on Finnish scheme to tackle homelessness

    More should be done to find permanent accommodation for the homeless, a Holyrood committee has said.

    The MSPs said Scotland should adopt a "housing first" scheme, similar to a strategy used successfully in Finland.

    The Local Government and Communities Committee said the plan, which has been piloted in parts of Scotland, should go nationwide.

    The housing minister has welcomed the committee's report and said he will consider it carefully.

    Read more here.

  6. Homeless hostelpublished at 11:40 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    SNP MSP John Mason asks about discussions between Glasgow City Council, Police Scotland and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde regarding the Bellgrove Hotel.

  7. Resuming with general questions.........published at 11:40 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    General questions graphicImage source, Getty Images/PA/BBC
  8. Postpublished at 11:28 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

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  9. Coming up.............first minister's questionspublished at 10:52 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    First minister's questionsImage source, Scottish Parliament/PA

    Not long to go now before the final first minister's questions before the Easter recess.

    Stay tuned with us for extensive coverage including all the social media reaction as it happens.

    First up we have general questions and the lunchtime member's debate celebrates Scottish Apprenticeship Week.

    Child povertyImage source, Getty Images

    A ministerial statement on the delivery plan to tackle child poverty will be made a 2.30pm.

    MSPs will then debate support for the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Housing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill at stage 1.

  10. Tribunal transparency raisedpublished at 10:46 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    Labour MSP Pauline McNeill
    Image caption,

    Labour MSP Pauline McNeill

    Labour MSP Pauline McNeill queries transparency around tribunals.

    Ms Burn says she is a supporter of tribunals being as transparent as possible and suggests it would be helpful to see what a tribunal decisions looks like.

    On timing, she says in the vast majority of cases tribunal decisions are made on the day and claimants are given an explanation of the decision and what they can do next.

    That concludes the Social Security Committee.

  11. Witness not not convinced that lived experience should be a set criteria for tribunalpublished at 10:45 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    Disability qualified tribunal member Paul DumbletonImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    Disability qualified tribunal member Paul Dumbleton

    Disability qualified tribunal member Paul Dumbleton says he does have lived experience of being a carer for daughter who has a learning disability and is in receipt of DLA

    Mr Dumbleton says he is not convinced that lived experience should be a set criteria.

    When devising a new benefits system "people's lived experience should be heard very, very loudly", he says.

    He is not so sure the lived experience is so important in tribunals and says he does not support what SAMH are suggesting.

  12. There are limits of trying to apply personal experience says regional tribunal judgepublished at 10:41 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    Regional tribunal judge Jessica BurnsImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    Regional tribunal judge Jessica Burns

    Disability qualified tribunal member Paul Dumbleton says very often there is evidence before a tribunal that the decision maker did not see.

    Ms McNeill raises a question from SAMH about ordinary members with lived experience being on the tribunal.

    Regional tribunal judge Jessica Burns says all members are appointed by the judicial appointments commission.

    Ms Burns says the experience of ordinary members may not see them through their entire appointment.

    She says there are limits of trying to apply personal experience as a general approach must be adopted.

  13. Medical assessments should be more bespoke argues tribunal memberpublished at 10:37 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    Dr Patricia Moultrie, a medically qualified tribunal member, says many tribunals adjourn due to a lack of medical evidence and many decisions are overturned because of new medical evidence.

    She suggests data extractions from GP records would underpin the evidence base.

    Producing computerised extracts would mean additional burdens on GPs would not be huge, she argues.

    Dr Patricia Moultrie, a medically qualified tribunal member
    Image caption,

    Dr Patricia Moultrie, a medically qualified tribunal member

    The current medical assessment process is done in a very routine and formulaic way, regardless of the medical condition a claimant may have, states Dr Moultrie.

    This could be improved by making processes more bespoke and having pre-tribunal meetings to discuss this, the witness says.

  14. Background: Scottish social security system plans at 'critical point'published at 10:34 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    Bank notesImage source, PA

    The establishment of Scotland's devolved social security system is at a "critical point", auditors have said.

    Holyrood is taking on responsibility for a range of welfare benefits, to be delivered by a new government agency.

    A new Audit Scotland report warned that ministers had "not clearly estimated" the cost of putting powers into practice, urging greater transparency.

    Scottish government minister Jeane Freeman said she was "confident" that plans for the agency were on track.

    Read more here.

  15. Postpublished at 10:34 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

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  16. 'No demand' for expense powers says witnesspublished at 10:31 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour
    Image caption,

    Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour

    Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour asks whether the powers relating to expenses are likely to be used often.

    Ms Burns says she "hasn't seen the arguments" for these powers and there has been "no demand" from first-tier tribunals for it.

    Prof Mullen says one of the barriers to going to court is the fear of having expenses awarded against you.

  17. Risk of raising expectations of being able to use human rights argument in tribunalpublished at 10:28 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    Professor Tom MullenImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    Professor Tom Mullen

    Tory MSP Adam Tomkins says there is support for the social security charter across the political spectrum but raises the issue of potential legal challenges.

    Professor Tom Mullen, a member of former Scottish Tribunals & Administrative Justice Advisory Committee, says the tribunal can take account of human rights.

    Prof Mullen wonders if this might raise expectations that claimants can raise human ritghts as an argument in tribunals.

    He doubts whether the tribunals would be comfortable with that when they work within the regulations to decide entitlement.

  18. Regulations 'more prescriptive' than they need to be says witnesspublished at 10:24 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    Jessica Burns is a regional tribunal judge
    Image caption,

    Jessica Burns is a regional tribunal judge

    Convener Clare Adamson opens with a question on general concerns about the regulations.

    Regional tribunal judge Jessica Burns suggests that the desire to make things better has led the proposed rules to be "more prescriptive" than they need to be.

    She worries this could lead to some confusion when tribunals hear about both reserved and devolved aspects of welfare law in the future.

    "That just seems disproportionate, confusing and perhaps not in the interests of any of the users of any appeals system."

  19. Background: Benefit claimants share their storiespublished at 10:22 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

    Protesters against PIP changesImage source, PA

    Every person receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIP) is to have their claim reviewed.

    This follows a decision by the Department for Work and Pensions not to challenge a court ruling saying changes to PIP - which limited the support received by people with mental health conditions - were unfair.

    Three people tell us about the issues they have faced when claiming PIP.

    Read them here.

  20. Postpublished at 10:21 British Summer Time 29 March 2018

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