Social Security in Scotland: consultation (summary version)

Summary version of the Consultation on Social Security in Scotland

The Scottish Government is committed to working with people across Scotland, to determine how best to use the new social security powers which will be devolved by the Scotland Act 2016. We believe that there should be opportunities for everyone to participate in the debates and decisions that matter to them, regardless of their circumstances or backgrounds.

A full consultation document, the Consultation on Social Security in Scotland ^[1] , and the events and engagement sessions that we will hold after its publication represents the next step in facilitating this participation. Holding an inclusive, informed and wide-ranging discussion will be essential to develop the necessary legislation and implement these new social security powers.

We recognise that this consultation is lengthy and, at times, complex but we still want to make it as accessible as possible. That is why we have published this shorter, summary version of the consultation document, to help you decide which sections of the longer document you want to complete.

Throughout this document you will also find references to the full consultation and should you wish to complete it, links will take you to the relevant webpages.

We are inviting responses to this consultation by Friday, 28 October 2016.

We have also made accessible alternative versions, including an EasyRead version, of the summary document available. This consultation is also available in alternate formats on request, including large print, braille, BSL and other languages. We are happy to receive responses in alternative formats, e.g. spoken responses, other languages etc. British Sign Language ( BSL) users can contact us via http://contactscotland-bsl.org/

Please contact us by email at socialsecurityconsultation@gov.scot or telephone on 0131 244 7763 or in writing at Social Security Consultation, 5th Floor, 5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw, Glasgow, G2 8LU to request an alternative version.

We are also arranging an extensive programme of stakeholder events, which will take place after the consultation has been launched. These will be organised in partnership with a range of representative groups and other organisations. We hope that these events will provide opportunities for as many people who want to take part as possible, to come along to an accessible, friendly event and have their say.

We will circulate details of these stakeholder events in our weekly newsletter which is sent out every Friday. If you would like details of our stakeholder events, you can sign up for our newsletter either by following this link - http://register.scotland.gov.uk/subscribe emailing us using the email address below or by phoning 0131 244 7763.

You can view and respond to this consultation online at https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/social-security/social-security-in-scotland. You can save and return to your responses while the consultation is still open. Please ensure that consultation responses are submitted before the closing date of Friday, 28 October 2016.

If you are unable to respond online, please send your response, along with the completed Respondent Information Form to: socialsecurityconsultation@gov.scot

or

Handling your response

If you respond using Citizen Space ( http://consult.scotland.gov.uk/) you will be directed to the Respondent Information Form. Please indicate how you wish your response to be handled and, in particular, whether you are happy for your response to published.

If you are unable to respond via Citizen Space, please complete and return the Respondent Information Form. If you ask for your response not to be published, we will regard it as confidential, and we will treat it accordingly.

All respondents should be aware that the Scottish Government is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and would therefore have to consider any request made to it under the Act for information relating to responses made to this consultation exercise.

Next steps in the process

Where respondents have given permission for their response to be made public, and after we have checked that they contain no potentially defamatory material, responses will be made available to the public at http://consult.scotland.gov.uk. If you use Citizen Space to respond, you will receive a copy of your response via email.

Following the closing date, all responses will be analysed and considered along with any other available evidence to help us. Responses will be published where we have been given permission to do so.

Comments and complaints

If you have any comments about how this consultation exercise has been conducted,

please send them to:

or

socialsecurityconsultation@gov.scot