Cabinet Secretary letter on Scottish Child Payment draft regulations 2020: 5 February 2020

Dear Dr Witcher,

I was grateful to receive the Scottish Commission on Social Security’s (SCoSS) report and recommendations on the Scottish Child Payment regulations on 21 January. I will consider the recommendations carefully and the Scottish Government will provide a full response when the regulations are laid in the Scottish Parliament in Spring.

I wanted to thank you again for agreeing to a slightly elongated scrutiny process in relation to the Scottish Child Payment. I am aware that SCoSS is being asked to do a lot in a policy environment which is fast paced and frequently changing, and this impacts on the time available for scrutiny.

When I wrote to you in December I indicated that the drafting on the commencement provisions was underway and this legal text would be shared with SCoSS following publication of your final report. This is set out as an annexe to this letter as part of the “super-affirmative” procedure outlined in section 97 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act. The text is in accordance with the policy note that we sent to SCoSS on 9 December and subsequently published as position paper on 16 January 2020. I understand that the Commission was also keen to see updated text on the effective dates of change for determinations without application, which is also set out in the annexe. I appreciate the Commission’s flexibility in agreeing to look at these specific provisions at a later date and to submit a supplementary note to your final report to cover it.

Finally, I have also written today to the Convener of the Social Security Committee enclosing a copy of the updated legal text. I look forward to your further consideration in due course.

Yours Sincerely,