Welfare Reform Campaign gathers momentum as Capability gives evidence to MSPs

The campaign against the Welfare Reform Bill gathered pace yesterday (22nd November) as a number of disability organisations, including Capability Scotland, gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament.

Capability's Director of External Affairs, Richard Hamer, Pam Duncan of Inclusion Scotland, Carolyn Roberts of the Scottish Association for Mental Health and Keith Robertson of the Scottish Disability Equality Forum all appeared before the Health and Sport Committee. Together they explained how proposals contained in the Bill would impact, not only on the lives of disabled Scots but also on the purse strings of local authorities.

The evidence from disability organisations was the first of two panel sessions.  The second was attended by Neil Couling from the Department of Work and Pensions.  Following the two panels the Committee met with Nicola Sturgeon, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy, to discuss the evidence.

The sessions scrutinised many aspects of the Bill including: the impact on both disabled people and local authorities of replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA) with Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the implications that new housing under-occupancy rules may have on disabled people who cannot find somewhere that is both smaller and accessible to live and whether the Scottish Parliament should oppose the legislative consent motion which gives the Westminster Government the power to enact the Bill in Scotland.

Capability Director of External Affairs, Richard Hamer, commented:

"Yesterday was a really important day in our fight against the cuts contained in the Welfare Reform Bill.  It was a great opportunity to have a face-to-face discussion with MSPs about the devastating impact the proposals are going to have on disabled people's lives.

"Capability is encouraged by the response of the MSPs and of the Cabinet Secretary, who gave the strongest indication so far that she was in support of not granting the legislative consent motion for the Welfare Reform Bill in its current form."