Duncan Smith accused of ‘snub’ to MSPs over failure to appear at inquiry

UK WORK and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has been accused of snubbing MSPs conducting an inquiry into his controversial overhaul of the welfare system.

Holyrood health committee convenor Duncan McNeill of Labour said he was “very disappointed” after the former Tory leader and welfare reform minister Lord Freud offered to send officials along instead.

Council bosses in Scotland have warned the committee that the shake-up of benefits could see them lose £50 million a year.

Mr McNeill said: “We made every effort to accommodate ministers’ other diary commitments and I am very disappointed that they could not make the time. Even at this late stage we would welcome the presence of a UK minister on the scrutiny of this.”

A key feature of the Welfare Reform Bill is the introduction of an all-in-one benefit, the universal credit, which will replace a number of other benefits and tax credits.

This will be paid direct to tenants, leading the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to warn that the change could mean a rise in rent arrears. This, is turn, could see less money invested in council houses as well as more families facing eviction.

Health committee vice-convenor Bob Doris said: “The respect agenda seems to be wearing thin for UK ministers. Trying to dodge responsibility for the biggest and potentially most damaging changes to the welfare system in decades is simply not acceptable.”