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Select Committee · Scottish Affairs Committee

Cost of living: impact on rural communities in Scotland

Status: Closed Opened: 16 Dec 2022 Closed: 25 Apr 2024 4 recommendations 8 conclusions 1 report

The Committee has launched an inquiry to explore the impact of rising costs of living on rural populations across Scotland. We'll also be looking at to what extent support packages provided by the UK Government meet the needs of Scotland’s rural communities in relation to the cost of living, and whether this could be better … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - Cost of living: impact on rural communities … HC 153 24 Jan 2024 12 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
2 Recommendation First Report - Cost of living: impact o… Not Addressed

Carry out review of winter 2022/23 cost-of-living support effectiveness for Scottish rural households.

Whilst accepting the UK Government were keen to get support out to assist people as quickly as possible, the UK Government should carry out a review to assess the effectiveness and value for money of cost-of-living support provided by the UK Government during winter 2022/23. This review should evaluate: a) … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government details the substantial cost-of-living support package provided and its delivery, including specific scheme data and the overall block grant to Scotland. However, it does not commit to carrying out a formal review to assess the effectiveness and value for money of the support, …
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Scotland Office
9 Recommendation First Report - Cost of living: impact o… Not Addressed

Agree consistent definition and measurement of food insecurity, addressing high prices in rural Scotland.

By Spring 2024, the UK and Scottish Governments should agree a consistent means of defining food insecurity and food poverty and show how it plans to measure this in the context of remote rural communities in Scotland. In its response to this report, both Governments should also set out what … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government details its existing welfare support and its current internationally recognised definition of food security. However, it does not commit to agreeing a consistent definition with the Scottish Government or setting out specific actions for high food prices in remote rural communities.
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Scotland Office
10 Recommendation First Report - Cost of living: impact o… Not Addressed

Collaborate to investigate impact of high food prices and food insecurity in remote rural Scotland.

The UK Government should work with the Scottish Government and local authorities jointly to investigate further the impact of high food prices as well as the scale and nature of food insecurity and food poverty on communities in remote rural Scotland. They should collate this data to identify parts of … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government outlines its existing welfare support and its definition of food security, but it does not commit to working jointly with the Scottish Government and local authorities to investigate the impact of high food prices and food insecurity specifically in remote rural Scotland, or …
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Scotland Office

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
11 Sep 2023 Amanda Solloway · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ben Pledger · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Gavin James · Department for Transport, John Lamont MP · Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland, Kris Krasnowski · Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland, Mr Richard Holden · Department for Transport View ↗
3 Jul 2023 Dr Andy Cope · Sustrans Scotland, Ranald Robertson · HITRANS (Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership), Uisdean Robertson · Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) View ↗
19 Jun 2023 Cara Hilton · The Trussell Trust, John Dickie · Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, Professor Mary Brennan · University of Edinburgh Business School View ↗
27 Feb 2023 Chris Birt · Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Frazer Scott · Energy Action Scotland, Heather Williams · Scottish Women's Budget Group, Professor David Bell CBE · Royal Society of Edinburgh, Professor Hugo van Woerden · University of the Highlands and Islands, Ruth Boyle · Poverty Alliance View ↗

Who gave evidence

18 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Amanda Solloway · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister … Department for Energy Security and Net Zero 1
Ben Pledger · Deputy Director, Energy Affordability, Strategy, … Department for Energy Security and Net Zero 1
Cara Hilton · Senior Policy & Public Affairs Manager (Scotland) The Trussell Trust 1
Chris Birt · Associate Director Scotland Joseph Rowntree Foundation 1
Dr Andy Cope · Director of Evidence and Insight Sustrans Scotland 1
Frazer Scott · Chief Executive Officer Energy Action Scotland 1
Gavin James · Deputy Director – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ir… Department for Transport 1
Heather Williams · Training Lead Scottish Women's Budget Group 1
John Dickie · Director Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland 1
John Lamont MP · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland 1
Kris Krasnowski · Deputy Director, Policy Delivery and Relationship… Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland 1
Mr Richard Holden · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Roads and… Department for Transport 1
Professor David Bell CBE · Emeritus Professor of Economics Royal Society of Edinburgh 1
Professor Hugo van Woerden · Visiting Professor University of the Highlands and Islands 1
Professor Mary Brennan · Chair of Food Marketing and Society University of Edinburgh Business School 1
Ranald Robertson · Partnership Director HITRANS (Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership) 1
Ruth Boyle · Policy and Campaigns Manager Poverty Alliance 1
Uisdean Robertson · Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Co… Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) 1

Correspondence

5 letters
DateDirectionTitle
21 Nov 2023 To cttee Letter from Mairi Gougeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Refor…
14 Nov 2023 — Correspondence with Mairi Gougeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, La…
24 Oct 2023 To cttee Letter from Mairi Gougeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform…
17 Oct 2023 To cttee Letter from Amanda Solloway MP, Minister for Energy Consumers & Affordability …
11 Sep 2023 — Correspondence with Mairi Gougeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Lan…

Meetings & visits

1 item
DateTypeDetail
16 Jan 2024 Formal meeting (private meeting) — · Room 8, Palace of Westminster