Correspondence concerning the full devolved benefit case transfer date: FOI release

Information requested

From 1 May to present:

Copies of any internal correspondence (emails, texts, minutes of calls, minutes of meetings, briefings and/or otherwise) regarding the expected new date (month and/or year) for the full devolved benefit case transfer between the Department of Work and Pensions and the Cabinet Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville.”

Response

All correspondence between Cabinet Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville and Department for Work and Pensions consists of formal signed letters sent in electronic format. The Social Security Directorate maintains a record of such correspondence. In response to your request, a review of that record identified one item of correspondence that was within scope of your request i.e. Letter dated 21 May 2020 from Cabinet Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville to Therese Coffey, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Only part of the information within that letter is relevant your request and this is provided at Annex A below.

The remaining information from that document falls outwith the scope of your request as it does not relate to the expected date for the full devolved benefit case transfer.

Annex A

Relevant information from letter dated 21 May 2020 from Cabinet Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville to Therese Coffey, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Nevertheless, in addition to maintaining existing services that Social Security Scotland is already delivering, I believe that we must continue to make preparations to ensure a safe and secure transfer of disability benefits. This will include the Department for Work and Pensions delivering some services on behalf of the Scottish Governments over a slightly longer transitional period.

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