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We need a humane approach to social security

The Scottish Greens today (18 April) called for a Commission on Social Security to determine Scotland's approach to new powers over benefits.

 

Scottish Greens co-convener Maggie Chapman, the party’s social justice spokesperson and MSP candidate for the North East, said:

 

"The Tories, and their Lib Dem enablers in government, have dismantled our social security system. With the limited powers coming to Holyrood we must refound a social security system worthy of the name, and we must reform income tax and council tax to raise revenue to invest in our people.

 

"Greens believe a Social Security Commission comprising benefit claimants, service users and the third sector should look at how best to establish a Scottish social security system, and how we can use that system to tackle inequality. We could have had much fuller control over welfare had it not been for Labour's intransigence during the Smith Commission.

 

"A key priority for the Scottish Greens is ending stressful and undignified face to face assessments for Personal Independence Payment. And we'd insist that providers of the soon to be devolved Work Programme were prevented from sharing information with the UK Government so we could end the unfair sanctions regime.

 

"A humane social security system is possible but we need a bolder Holyrood with more Green MSPs to advance the case."