SCOTTISH Government efforts to develop a welfare system for an independent Scotland are being undermined by a lack of access to information held by the Department for Work and Pensions, it has been claimed.
Experts called in to assist officials draw up a welfare programme said the lack of DWP data was causing "gaps in knowledge" as they try to predict the cost of social security in an independent Scotland.
The Government believes the cost of existing benefits and tax credits will be just less than £19 billion in 2016/17, the first financial year after independence under the SNP's timetable, if Scots vote Yes next year.
A group of experts was called in by referendum minister Nicola Sturgeon earlier this year to assess the Government's cost forecast and plans to deliver benefits in an independent Scotland. They have also been asked to identify UK Government welfare reforms that "should be an immediate priority for change".
Concerns about information sharing with the DWP emerged in minutes from the first meeting of the expert group. As well as complaining of "lack of access to information from the DWP", the group also warned of uncertainty over the impact of the new universal credit – which will roll a number of benefits into a single payment from October – in Scotland.
The expert group is chaired by Darra Singh, a former senior civil servant in the UK-wide DWP and boss of Jobcentre Plus, and is due to report to ministers in May.
A Scotland Office spokesman said: "The UK Government already shares considerable information with the Scottish Government to ensure the continuing smooth operation of devolution within the UK.
"Welfare is reserved, but the UK Government will respond to further reasonable requests for existing factual information.
"We are clear we will not carry out financial modelling or allocate civil service resources to support plans for independence."
The Scottish Government said: "To enable the start of effective planning around welfare provision in an independent Scotland, the group requires access to information from the DWP about the provision of universal credit and other administrative changes that will be required as part of the UK Government's wider welfare reform agenda."
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