Exclusive:Universal benefits 'would be hard to justify' now, warns economist

Universal benefits such as free prescriptions and tuition fees would be “hard to justify” if introduced now, a leading economist has claimed.

Emma Congreve, deputy director of the Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde, also warned the £500 million cuts to public spending may leave the Scottish Government unable to function well.

Ms Congreve said: “I think if universal benefits didn’t exist right now it would be hard to justify them being put into place.

“It would not tally with targeting child poverty and would struggle to meet the criteria for spend if they were being introduced now. But they are in place and it doesn’t look like there are any indications that will be challenged.”

Fraser of Allander Institute

She said the cuts, which were announced earlier this week by finance minister Shona Robison, could have “unintended consequences”.

“Some of the cuts could have unintended consequences,” Ms Congreve said. “It feels like they are restricting the ability of the government to function well.

“It doesn’t feel like a government able to plan for uncertainty, and that is a real problem.

“It is reducing the ability of the government to do its job.”

Included in the spending cuts is £200,000 being saved from early learning and childcare budgets along with £7m in Social Security Scotland workforce savings, almost £2m in other social security services and £5m from the “change in delivery of pension age winter heating payment”.

This is in addition to the £160m of winter fuel payment cuts the SNP has previously announced, potentially hampering the child poverty ambitions.