This was the Herald's headline to a report on the Scottish  
Parliament's debate on welfare reform yesterday - over two hours with  
118 of the 129 MSPs voting.  The Scotsman took the line of the  
supporters of the UK Coalition: 'Holyrood's defiance could deprive  
needy of benefits, SNP told' (links to debate and the two papers far  
below).

The Daily Record echoed rejection in its headline but provided the  
longest report and I think the most useful with its opening sentence:  
THE Scottish Parliament has refused to rubber-stamp controversial  
benefit changes linked to Iain Duncan Smith's welfare reform programme.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics-news/2011/12/22/snp-and- 
labour-msps-unite-as-scottish-parliament-reject-westminster-plans-for- 
welfare-reform-86908-23653897/

It is the first time that a legislative consent motion to Westminster  
legislation has not been passed by the Scottish parliament, but the  
basic welfare reforms going through the UK parliament will continue.   
What are likely to be affected by the partial refusal of consent are  
the areas which are or will be within the Scottish jurisdiction such  
as free school meals, passported benefits, disabled parking and  
devolved council tax benefit.  How much money and where it will come  
from are questions to be argued over.  An ad hoc welfare committee  
will be set up to take this further.

The debate indicated the degree of dissatisfaction with the proposed  
reforms, and much use was made of material provided by third sector  
and pressure groups.

Best wishes - and warm seasonal greetings, yours, Adrian

The amended motion below was agreed to without a vote.

'That the Parliament supports the principle of a welfare system that  
is simpler, makes work pay and lifts people out of poverty but  
regrets that this principle, insofar as it is reflected by the  
introduction of universal credit and personal independence payments,  
is being undermined by the UK Government’s deep and damaging cuts to  
benefits and services that will impact on some of the most vulnerable  
people in Scotland; on the matter of legislative consent, agrees that  
the relevant provisions of the Welfare Reform Bill, introduced in the  
House of Commons on 16 February 2011, in respect of data sharing,  
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit and the Social Mobility and  
Child Poverty Commission, so far as these matters fall within the  
legislative competence of the Parliament, or alter the executive  
competence of the Scottish Ministers, should be considered by the UK  
Parliament; further agrees that the provisions in the Bill that give  
the Scottish Ministers the power to make consequential,  
supplementary, incidental or transitional provisions, by regulations,  
in relation to the introduction of universal credit and personal  
independence payments, so far as these matters fall within the  
legislative competence of the Parliament, or alter the executive  
competence of the Scottish Ministers, should not be considered by the  
UK Parliament but that the necessary provision should be made instead  
by an Act of the Scottish Parliament; also agrees that an ad-hoc  
welfare committee should be convened with a remit to consider the  
implementation of the Welfare Reform Bill insofar as it affects  
people in Scotland, in particular the impact on passported benefits  
and, where benefits are devolved, the principles and operation of  
these, complementing the work of other relevant committees in the  
Scottish Parliament, UK Parliament and devolved assemblies across the  
UK and that this committee should continue to meet for the duration  
of the current parliamentary session; while agreeing the above  
position, urges the UK Government to reconsider the Welfare Reform  
Bill and, more broadly, its welfare reform agenda, which the  
Parliament considers will adversely affect vulnerable people across  
Scotland.'


The link to the full debate follows.  If you want details of votes on  
the amendments, click on 'Decision Time' at the very end.
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx? 
r=6647&i=60537&c=1255425&s=welfare%20reform

The Herald coverage http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/political- 
news/msps-reject-uk-welfare-reforms.1324609482
The Scotsman  http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/ 
holyrood_s_defiance_could_deprive_needy_of_benefits_snp_told_1_2022326

Adrian Sinfield
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