Tories declare war on benefit scammers to end 'stone-cold stupidity' of the SNP's approach

A new law is to be proposed to fix the SNP ’s ‘broken’ benefits system and finally bring down ‘out of control’ spending. Under the Scottish Conservative proposal, benefit fraudsters will have overpayments taken directly out of their bank accounts and could have their driving licences confiscated if the money isn’t recovered. Sentences for benefit fraud would also be doubled, while the ‘tick box’ approach to reassessments would come to an end. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay yesterday used his main policy speech to the Conservative conference in Birmingham to unveil details of the proposed Scottish Parliament bill, which he said would end the ‘stone-cold stupidity’ of the SNP approach which can ‘trap people on the misery of Benefit Street’. In recent years, spending on devolved benefits has skyrocketed to £6.8billion a year and is forecast to continue to soar to £9billion by the end of the decade. Mr Findlay said: ‘The SNP squander your money on an epic scale. They have got no respect for taxpayers and we see that lack of respect with Scotland’s benefits system. ‘Of course, our party values the safety net of social security but Scotland’s benefits system is broken.’ He highlighted that benefits now accounts for £1 of every £7 spent by the SNP Government and the estimated £9billion annual cost by 2030 is more than the combined spending on schools, universities, colleges, police, courts and prisons. Mr Findlay said benefits should never be a ‘lifestyle choice or a trap’ but highlighted evidence that parents are turning down extra hours because they get more money on benefits, while many claimants only need to ‘tick a box’ for reassessments’ without checks. Russell Findlay criticised the SNP's approach to benefits at the Conservative conference in Birmingham He said: ‘The SNP talk about their “light-touch” approach. They mean light-touch as a boast and I would say light-touch as a criticism of their stone-cold stupidity. ‘The SNP trap people on the misery of Benefits Street and they also give a green light to chancers and crooks.’ He said the proposals, to be introduced in the Scottish Parliament through a bill by MSP Murdo Fraser, would ‘fix devolved benefits’, in addition to action Kemi Badenoch has unveiled for those reserved to Westminster. It includes overpayments being taken directly from bank accounts, as happens elsewhere in the UK, driving licences being confiscated if refunds are not forthcoming’, as well as ending ‘the reckless “tick box” approach for claims’, The maximum sentence for benefit fraud would double to ten years, while a new ‘statutory aggravator’ of benefit fraud would be created, meaning prosecutors would take a stronger approach. Under the current approach, Mr Findlay said debt recovery by Social Security Scotland, which manages devolved benefits, is limited to requesting repayment. He said: ‘John Swinney keeps bragging that his system is one of “fairness, dignity and respect”. Well, I don’t think that handing money to cheats is fair, I don’t think trapping people on benefits is dignified, and I don’t think that forcing taxpayers to fund fraud is respectful.’ The proposals come after a whistleblower who has extensive experience across taxpayer-funded welfare roles in Scotland claimed there has been ‘rampant abuse’ of the benefits system, including managers ‘coaching’ applicants to cheat the system. Mr Findlay highlighted that, since 2022, only three people have been convicted for benefit fraud in the whole of Scotland. He said that his approach would ‘go some way’ to plugging a looming £5billion black hole in benefits spending north of the border but was unable to say exactly how much would be saved. In an interview with the BBC’s The Sunday Show yesterday, Mr Findlay said action is needed to ‘get a grip of the bloated out-of-control benefits bill’, and criticised the ‘explosion’ in mental health claims where there has been no medical diagnosis and the growing ‘sick note culture’. Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie said: ‘Having lowered themselves to previously unexplored depths of incompetence before being kicked out of government, the Tories are stuck on a path to ever more extreme positions in Scotland. ‘While Scottish Liberal Democrats are holding the Scottish government to account on the cost of living and fixing our struggling schools, NHS and social care system, the Tories are trying to keep themselves going by out-Reforming Reform. ‘Russell Findlay’s demoralised conference speech only confirmed their hearts aren’t really in it.’ A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'Public bodies in Scotland already have a duty to ensure that public funds are properly authorised and controlled and deliver value for money. Taxpayers’ money is subject to appropriate scrutiny and parliamentary accountability. 'Every benefit application is subject to a robust decision-making process, with applications assessed thoroughly ensuring support only goes to those who are eligible. 'All intelligence on suspected fraud is thoroughly investigated, with appropriate actions taken.'