Alex Rowley – Labour
Interim Scottish Labour leader Alex Rowley has called on the Scottish Parliament to unite around halting the rollout of Universal Credit in Scotland.
Mr Rowley has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament, which has achieved cross-party support, and a Members Debate will be taking place in the Parliament on Thursday.
Last week, 24 third sector charities and individuals united to call on the rollout to be halted in a public letter.
Labour would immediately end the cruelties of Tory welfare reform and create a social care system that is built on the principles of dignity and fairness.
Scottish Labour Interim leader Alex Rowley said:
“Universal Credit’s rollout has been shambolic, with families being pushed into poverty and debt to get by.
“The system is supposed to make social security simpler and easier for families, but there is nothing simple and easy but having to rely on food banks.
“Unfortunately, that is exactly what is happening while people wait for payments under the six-week payment delay at the start of the process.
“We cannot allow that to happen in Scotland.
“It is time for all parties in the Scottish Parliament to unite to halt the rollout of Universal Credit in Scotland until the issues are resolved.”
“Universal Credit’s rollout has been shambolic, with families being pushed into poverty and debt to get by.
“The system is supposed to make social security simpler and easier for families, but there is nothing simple and easy but having to rely on food banks.
“Unfortunately, that is exactly what is happening while people wait for payments under the six-week payment delay at the start of the process.
“We cannot allow that to happen in Scotland.
“It is time for all parties in the Scottish Parliament to unite to halt the rollout of Universal Credit in Scotland until the issues are resolved.”
NOTES
See motion below
Motion S5M-07056: Alex Rowley, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 08/08/2017Support for Citizens Advice Scotland’s Call to Stop Accelerated Roll-out of Universal Credit
That the Parliament notes with concern the reported evidence from Citizens Advice Bureaux regarding the initial roll-out areas in Scotland, and elsewhere in the UK, which it believes highlights that the reality of universal credit risks leaving many people in Scotland without the support they need, pushing them into debt and leaving them unable to make ends meet; is further concerned that Citizens Advice Scotland, it understands, has reported that evidence from initial roll-out areas shows that, since universal credit was introduced, bureaux have seen a 15% rise in rent arrears issues compared to a national decrease of 2%, and an 87% increase in Crisis Grant issues compared to a national increase of 9%, and that two of the five bureaux in impacted areas have seen a 40% and 70% increase in advice about access to food banks, compared to a national increase of 3%; notes the call from Citizens Advice Scotland and a host of antipoverty organisations across Scotland for the UK Government to pause the accelerated roll-out of universal credit until the reported design and delivery problems have been addressed; notes the comments from the Chair of Citizens Advice Scotland, Rory Mair, that “universal credit has major delivery and design flaws which risk hurting families instead of helping them. These include long waits for payments that push people into crisis and debt, all the while battling a highly complicated process with little support”; considers that it is not right to proceed with the accelerated roll-out of universal credit in the knowledge that it will, it believes, result in tens of thousands of men, women and children in the Mid Scotland and Fife region and across Scotland being driven into debt and rent arrears and having to turn to foodbanks just to survive, and notes the calls on the UK Government to pause the process, listen to the evidence and act accordingly to address the issues.
Supported by: Mark Griffin, Kenneth Gibson, Iain Gray, Pauline McNeill, Neil Findlay, Elaine Smith, Alex Neil, Bill Kidd, Ben Macpherson, Sandra White, Stuart McMillan, Richard Leonard, Stewart Stevenson, Monica Lennon, Joan McAlpine, Mark Ruskell, Ross Greer, John Mason, Ivan McKee
That the Parliament notes with concern the reported evidence from Citizens Advice Bureaux regarding the initial roll-out areas in Scotland, and elsewhere in the UK, which it believes highlights that the reality of universal credit risks leaving many people in Scotland without the support they need, pushing them into debt and leaving them unable to make ends meet; is further concerned that Citizens Advice Scotland, it understands, has reported that evidence from initial roll-out areas shows that, since universal credit was introduced, bureaux have seen a 15% rise in rent arrears issues compared to a national decrease of 2%, and an 87% increase in Crisis Grant issues compared to a national increase of 9%, and that two of the five bureaux in impacted areas have seen a 40% and 70% increase in advice about access to food banks, compared to a national increase of 3%; notes the call from Citizens Advice Scotland and a host of antipoverty organisations across Scotland for the UK Government to pause the accelerated roll-out of universal credit until the reported design and delivery problems have been addressed; notes the comments from the Chair of Citizens Advice Scotland, Rory Mair, that “universal credit has major delivery and design flaws which risk hurting families instead of helping them. These include long waits for payments that push people into crisis and debt, all the while battling a highly complicated process with little support”; considers that it is not right to proceed with the accelerated roll-out of universal credit in the knowledge that it will, it believes, result in tens of thousands of men, women and children in the Mid Scotland and Fife region and across Scotland being driven into debt and rent arrears and having to turn to foodbanks just to survive, and notes the calls on the UK Government to pause the process, listen to the evidence and act accordingly to address the issues.
Supported by: Mark Griffin, Kenneth Gibson, Iain Gray, Pauline McNeill, Neil Findlay, Elaine Smith, Alex Neil, Bill Kidd, Ben Macpherson, Sandra White, Stuart McMillan, Richard Leonard, Stewart Stevenson, Monica Lennon, Joan McAlpine, Mark Ruskell, Ross Greer, John Mason, Ivan McKee
Current Status: Achieved Cross Party Support
http://www.cas.org.uk/news/scotlands-third-sector-unites-call-universal-credit-roll-out-be-halted
West Dunbartonshire Councillor Martin Rooney 