Kate Forbes told she has 'serious questions to answer' 'over two-child benefit cap claims

The Deputy First Minister suggested the previous UK government’s unwillingness to share data prevented the Scottish Government from being able to step in to mitigate the two-child benefit cap earlier.

However, less than 24 hours later Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville told a Holyrood committee the SNP has not asked the UK government for this information.

Liz Smith, the Scottish Conservatives’ social security spokeswoman, said: “Kate Forbes has serious questions to answer over her claims, which have been quickly shot down by her Cabinet colleague.

“Senior SNP figures should be straight with Scots about whether they asked for this data or not, rather than turning to their playbook of spin. They must urgently clarify what really happened here, otherwise the public will be left thinking Kate Forbes has misled them.”

Speaking to the Holyrood Sources podcast, Ms Forbes said: “This is the first time we have a UK government that will work with us to give us the data and systems we always needed to put in place any mitigation to the two-child cap.”

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However, when asked if the Scottish Government had asked for this data from the UK government during an appearance at the social justice and social security committee, Ms Somerville said: “We have not asked for the information on the two-child cap.”

She said her Government did now have a better idea of the numbers affected by the cap from the number of people claiming the Scottish Child Payment.

Paul O’Kane, Scottish Labour’s social security spokesman, said: “The Labour government has been clear that it will work constructively with the Scottish Government to ensure it can lift the two-child cap in Scotland. We just need some political will from the SNP to make it happen.

“It’s time for SNP ministers to drop the spin and focus on delivering this policy with the urgency needed by including it in this year’s Budget.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Deputy First Minister’s comments are being wholly misrepresented. She was referring to the fact that we now have a UK government which appears willing to work with us to provide the data that will enable us to put a system in place to mitigate the two child limit.”