Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the effect on claimants in Scotland of changes to working and child tax credits.

I meet with the Chancellor regularly to discuss a wide range of issues. Our changes to working and child tax credits will support our welfare reforms by ensuring that work always pays. Taxpayers should not be asked to subsidise, through the tax credit system, businesses which pay the lowest wages. Instead, we will support people in work through lower taxes and higher wages.