Welfare pledges 'cannot be kept'

Jan 9 2013

The Scottish Government is "making promises which they cannot possibly keep" on the benefits issue, a coalition minister has claimed.

Scotland Office minister David Mundell also attacked Labour's stance, arguing their only proposal was "more spending, more borrowing and more debt".

His comments came as the parties traded blows in the Commons a day after the Government's plan for a real-terms cut in working-age benefits cleared its first Commons hurdle.

The Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill limits rises in most working-age benefits to 1% in 2014/15 and 2015/2016 instead of linking them to inflation. Similar measures for 2013/14 will be introduced separately.

Shadow secretary of state for Scotland Margaret Curran claimed 4,000 members of the armed forces in Scotland would see their incomes cut as a result of the vote.

She said: "There might be a Liberal Democrat leading the Scotland Office but as far as we can see from this Government, Scots know it's just the same old Tories.

"In 2010 the department told us we have absolutely no desire to see people losing their jobs or being in worse circumstances than they were before. Can the minister explain why they've been failing the test that they've set themselves?"

Mr Mundell replied: "Last (Tuesday) night's vote was about ensuring that we have a sustainable welfare system. Her answer on all these issues is more about borrowing, more spending and more debt. She could not say how she would fund the rises in the benefit which she voted for. What the people of Scotland know is that it's same old Labour. No apology for the mess that they left the economy in and their only proposal, more spending, more borrowing and more debt."

SNP MP Dr Eilidh Whiteford (Banff and Buchan) said she opposed the cap on in-work benefits, adding: "It's going to hammer thousands of families in Scotland who are trying to bring up children while working hard in low paid jobs."

Mr Mundell responded: "The SNP position is totally hypocritical. The Scottish Government is asking nurses and NHS workers to take a 1% pay rise yet they want benefit rises to be more than that. The whole benefits issue is an example of the SNP Scottish Government making promises which they cannot possibly keep in relation to benefits in an independent Scotland just simply to curry favour with the electorate."