Keith Brown MSP, Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Clackmannanshire & Dunblane constituency, has welcomed a commitment given by the SNP Scottish Government to enshrine in law the requirement to increase social security payments each year in line with inflation.

In the last year the Scottish Government provided £370 million to uprate payments – £5 million above the amount required in statute, ensuring that whilst the UK Labour Government is determined to continue the Tory austerity agenda, the SNP Scottish Government will continue to do all in its power to protect the hardest pressed within our communities.

Speaking this afternoon, Keith said:

“Scotland’s social security system – which is rooted in dignity, fairness and respect – has been the means by which the Scottish Government has been able to bring in measures which have been truly transformational for so many families across my Clackmannanshire & Dunblane constituency.

“It is crucial that we maintain the value of the fourteen payments which are estimated to be keeping 100,000 children out of poverty, as we look to build on this progress which has been described as ‘game-changing’ by child poverty experts.

“Linking payment increases to inflation does that – and making it a legal duty to so will bring us closer to achieving the First Minister’s goal of ending child poverty.  

“I am determined to ensure that we continue to do what we can to protect families in Clackmannanshire & Dunblane from Labour’s continued Westminster austerity.

“Unlike Labour who abandoned families by retaining the two child cap and then took away pensioners’ winter fuel allowances, the SNP will always do right by local households, making sure they get the support they need.”