Earlier this week, I wrote to our local Labour MPs - Marueen Burke and Martin Rhodes. I urged them to reject the plans to remove Winter Fuel Payments from thousands of constituents here in Glasgow.

I wanted to work collaboratively with them, that's why I did not publicise my letter on social media. However, following the vote they have made their views public - see the Glasgow Times article

As such, I now wanted to express my view.

In their public statement, our Glasgow MPs repeat - almost word-for-word - disingenuous claims that we here in Scotland can still keep the payment if we want. The Scottish Parliament is far from immune to the decisions of the UK Parliament, particularly regarding the financial impact on Scotland’s budget. In the case of the pension-aged winter fuel payment, this will mean around £160 million less than anticipated for our budget. 

Whilst the power to act on this may be devolved to the Scottish Government, the resource to enable it to do so is being withheld.

You can read my full letter below:

Dear Maureen and Martin

Winter Fuel Payment

In reaching out to you both, I want to be clear that it is my aim to work constructively with you both in the best interests of our constituents. In that vein, I am contacting you about an important vote in the UK Parliament tomorrow (10 September). It will allow MPs to make a judgement on whether the Winter Fuel Payment should continue for all pensioners.

I would urge you to vote in favour of keeping this universal payment and opposing plans to scrap it.

As you know the Scottish Parliament is far from immune to the decisions of the UK Parliament, particularly regarding the financial impact on Scotland’s budget. In the case of the pension-aged winter fuel payment, this will mean around £160 million less than anticipated for our budget. Therefore, whilst the power to act on this may be devolved to the Scottish Government, the resource to enable it to do so is being withheld.

The Scottish Government surely will not always be able to use its finite resources to mitigate disastrous Westminster policies – something we have been doing for 14 years. Be that mitigating the low level of Universal Credit for families by implementing the Scottish Child Payment - a cost of £450 million a year and keeping 100,000 Scottish children out of relative poverty. Consequently, modelling work shows child poverty levels are around 10% lower in Scotland. Or, indeed the UK Government bedroom tax which deprives many households in Scotland and across the UK on low income from having enough money to pay their rent. This has been mitigated to the tune of £76million this year alone to the benefit of 92,000 Scottish households.

I would welcome the incoming Labour UK Government to axe the bedroom tax and explore an English Child Payment. The implementation at a stroke could free up over £520million for the Scottish budget as well as help households elsewhere in the UK.

With regards to the pension-aged winter fuel payment, for the Labour Government to move away from universal benefits is a serious concern. Using Pension Credit as a proxy for pensioner poverty is not fit for purpose and we are also all too well aware of the significant lack of uptake of Pension Credit.

In Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Independent Age has estimated £4,882,664 in Pension Credit goes unclaimed annually, by 1,891 pensioner households.

I would ask you to stand up for pensioners here in Glasgow, and across the UK, and reject this policy. Should the UK Government plans be defeated I believe it would allow all pensioners in our constituency to be better protected against fuel poverty this winter.

Kind regards
Bob Doris MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn Constituency (SNP)

 

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