Scottish Government: Social Security Benefits

Lord Cameron of Lochiel Excerpts

Wednesday 24th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

There is a lot in what the noble Baroness says. I obviously agree with her, as I often do, on the matter of the European Union. I agree with what she says; it is very much worth looking at.

[Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Con)]

My Lords, the Minister may be aware that it has cost the taxpayer more than £650 million to set up Social Security Scotland, yet there are countless examples of claimants who are on benefits administered by both Social Security Scotland and the Department for Work and Pensions who have had money deducted because of a lack of communication between the two agencies. What action can the UK Government take to improve communication between both departments to make sure that those in genuine need of support are not penalised?

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

I did not know about what the noble Lord says. I am more than happy to take that back to my DWP colleagues and to discuss it with them.

UK Border Strategy: Single Trade Window

Lord Cameron of Lochiel Excerpts

Tuesday 25th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

Yes, I agree with some of what the noble Baroness says about the benefits of a single trade window. Again, we have to be able to pay for these things. We have had to pause many of the previous Government’s spending commitments because the money was simply not there to pay for them, which goes to the heart of the issue that she started her question on. She may dispute the figures, but I do not think anyone disputes the fact that those spending commitments were there but there was not the money there to pay for them. As I say, it remains our long-term intention to deliver the single trade window, but we will have to do so when resources allow, and we will update noble Lords at the time of the next spending review.

[Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Con)]

My Lords, given that this is the second delay to the single trade window announced by this Government since they took office, and that the rollout will be halted until April 2026 at the very earliest, does the Minister accept that there is a significant cost from such a lengthy delay, not least in the view of the National Audit Office, which reported that a 12-month delay in delivering the STW could reduce the benefits realised by more than £850 million over 10 years?

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

I am grateful to the noble Lord for his question, but let us remember what the costs are that we are trying to reduce here: they are from the previous Government’s ill-conceived Brexit deal, which imposed new trade barriers on businesses equivalent to a 13% increase in tariffs for manufacturing and 20% in tariffs for services. As a result, the Office for Budget Responsibility found that GDP will be 4% lower and overall trade intensity will be 15% lower than had the UK remained in the European Union. Of course, we want to try to ameliorate the difficulties of the previous Government’s disastrous Brexit deal, but it will take time to ensure that the fiscal resources are there. As I say, it remains our long-term intention to deliver that single trade window, but we can do so only when resources allow.