UK Government accused of ‘disrespect for devolution’ over welfare cuts

UK Government ministers have been accused of showing a “disrespect” for devolution over the cuts to benefits announced on Tuesday.

Scottish Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville – who controls the devolved benefits agency in Scotland – was unable to tell journalists how much the £5 billion cut to social security for disabled people in England would strip from Scotland’s budget.

The decision will not directly impact those receiving the adult disability payment – Scotland’s answer to the personal independence payment – but is likely to result in reduced funding for Social Security Scotland.

Ms Somerville, however, did say she worries the impact could be “really quite severe”, with leading think tank the Fraser of Allander Institute saying Scotland could lose between £90 million and £115 million for every £1 billion cut from the Westminster budget.

The cut comes with extra investment in employability services in the hopes of bringing more people back into the workforce.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland on Wednesday, SNP Scotland Office spokesman Stephen Gethins hit out at the lack of engagement with the Scottish Government.

“Firstly, it talks to the disrespect for devolution,” he said.

“They should have been engaging with Scottish ministers.”

Mr Gethins added that the Government in Scotland will now be looking for ways to mitigate the impact of the cuts.

He said: “Ministers will have to look at this in enormous detail; what does this mean? How can they offset some of the most damaging areas?

“But there has to come a point whereby you cannot persistently be relying on Holyrood to offset the damage that’s coming from Westminster.”

The SNP MP said the “overwhelming powers” still sit with Westminster, as he claimed people will have to “reassess” the devolution settlement.

Earlier on the same programme, UK work and pensions minister Alison McGovern argued the welfare cut does not amount to a return to austerity.

In a debate ahead of last year’s election, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “Read my lips: No austerity under Labour.”

He has been much-criticised for the statement, with opponents pointing to decisions taken in the first months of the Labour Government and accusing the party of austerity.

But Ms McGovern said: “Anas was right.

“(former Tory chancellor) George Osborne’s austerity was cuts, cuts, cuts, and the idea that would bring growth just by itself if the government cuts its budget, that would make growth happen.

“We have not done that.

“We have set out in our budget funding for the NHS, the biggest settlement for Scotland since the inception of devolution.

“We are investing in this country and the fact that we have to make sure that the welfare state is sustainable, that is a challenge we have to take on.

“But what we want to do is invest in this country and make sure that the economy grows properly.”

Ms McGovern’s comments come as former Labour MSP Neil Findlay announced his resignation from the party in protest against the cuts.

In a scathing letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Findlay said: “I can no longer remain a member of a party that lied to the British people at the last election and with regularity betrays the people who voted for it.”

The cuts, he said, will not motivate people back to work, but “will instead scare and humiliate them and strip them of their dignity and self-respect, and for some it will send them to an early grave”.

Describing Sir Keir’s tenure as leader of the party as “disastrous” and branding MPs who backed Wednesday’s announcement as “sycophants”, Mr Findlay said he had resigned “in solidarity with the individuals and families who will be affected by these vindictive and brutal policies”.

Labour MSP Carol Mochan also criticised the cuts, posting on social media: “Austerity has never been a sustainable path to growth.

“We cannot balance the books on the backs of people who require benefits just to have a passable standard of living.

“These reforms are a mistake and should not go ahead.”