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UK Parliament
Bedroom Tax, Scottish Affairs, zero-hour contracts

Committee discuss bedroom tax burden in West Lothian and Falkirk

7 February 2014

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On Monday 10 February the Committee meets with West Lothian and Falkirk councils to discuss “Bedroom Tax” and what must be done to fully mitigate its effects.

Following UK Government announcements last week, it is now clear that the Scottish Government has, and has always had, full powers under the existing devolution settlement to cancel the impact of the Bedroom Tax on tenants in Scotland.

The Committee will discuss the actual impact of the Bedroom Tax in West Lothian and Falkirk councils’ areas to date, and how the tax can now be effectively cancelled in Scotland.

Ian Davidson MP, Chair of the Committee, said;

“This visit to West Lothian and Falkirk allows us to hear directly what the impact of the Bedroom Tax has been.

“Now that it is absolutely clear that the Scottish Government has both the powers and the money to effectively abolish the Bedroom Tax in Scotland we will be discussing how best this can be done.

“I will be particularly interested to explore how all those tenants who have made sacrifices or borrowed to meet the extra expense of the Bedroom Tax can have their money refunded.”

Witnesses

At 9.30am in the Howden Park Centre, Livingston, West Lothian

  • Donald Forrest, Head, Finance and Estates,
  • Ian Alcorn, Welfare Reform and Legislation Advisor, and
  • Alistair Shaw, Head, Housing, Construction and Building Services, West Lothian Council;

At 10.30am

  • Mike Bruce, Chief Executive, Weslo Housing Management
  • Sandy Young, Housing Manager, Almond Housing
    Association
  • Alison Kerr, Chair, West Lothian Tenants Panel
  • Andy Ashcroft, Lead Officer, West Lothian Housing Partnership

At 1pm in Falkirk Town Hall

  • Councillor Craig Martin, Falkirk Council
  • Councillor Linda Gow, Falkirk Council
  • Councillor Gerry Goldie, Falkirk Council
  • Mary Pitcaithly, Chief Executive, Falkirk Council
  • Rhona Penman, Advice Services Co-ordinator, Link Housing Association
  • Bill Palombo, Grangemouth Citizen’s Advice Bureau

Further information