Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 - Clause 2 - Extent, commencement and short title; Government amendment 1; New clause 1—Impact and policy review

Ms. Laing proposed new clause 1 which would mandate a review of the effectiveness and impact of the Act on recipients' quality of life, well-being of carers, clinical care, and take-up rates.

Ms. Prentis argued that extensive engagement with clinicians, patient groups, and devolved Administrations had already occurred and supported a 12-month approach to align the definition of 'end of life' in benefits and NHS systems.

Mr Rodda supports the Bill and highlights areas where further clarification is needed. He shares case studies of individuals impacted by current rules, including Lorraine Cox who was denied Personal Independence Payment (PIP) despite her terminal illness diagnosis. Mr Rodda emphasises the importance of addressing systemic issues that prevent terminally ill people from receiving necessary support.

Mr Grady discusses the need for continued review of the Bill's impact and highlights differences in approaches between Scotland and England. He calls for wider support measures beyond what is currently provided by the Bill, including access to state pensions for those diagnosed with terminal illnesses.

Mr Tomlinson clarifies that both systems involve clinical professionals making decisions and emphasises there is no additional funding in either system, only differences in how quickly individuals can access benefits.

Mrs Prentis moves for Third Reading of the Bill, thanking all involved and emphasising its importance in ensuring terminally ill individuals receive necessary support quickly. She acknowledges the work of charities and campaigners in advocating for this legislation.

Mr. Rodda thanks the Minister for her remarks and honours campaigners such as Marie Curie and MND Association. He emphasises that despite its brevity, the Bill will significantly impact many lives during a stressful period. Mr. Rodda highlights inconsistencies in access to benefits (12 months for fast-track universal credit and ESA vs 6 months for PIP, DLA and attendance allowance) and calls for alignment of these provisions. He asks the Minister to consider an open-ended approach similar to Scotland's and pledges evaluation of its effectiveness. Additionally, he seeks assurances on maintaining a quick turnaround time for applications under special rules.

Mr. Hendry expresses his eagerness for the Bill to progress quickly and pays tribute to campaigners including Marie Curie, Macmillan, Citizens Advice, MND Scotland, and individual campaigners. He appreciates the probing amendment by Mr. Patrick Grady and hopes that the Minister will learn from experiences of people affected by these changes. Emphasising the importance of streamlined services for terminally ill individuals, he urges against future delays due to ministerial churn.

Mr. Tomlinson appeals for extending and reviewing severe conditions criteria as outlined in the Green Paper, suggesting it would benefit claimants with terminal degenerative conditions and reduce pressure on an already demanding system.