What discussions it has had with the Department of Work and Pensions regarding the pilot scheme on changes to incapacity benefit that is be…

My officials are in regular contact with colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Jobcentre Plus about the arrangements for the reassessment of customers in receipt of incapacity benefits. Discussions are continuing around the ongoing developments including the trial of the process which will commence in Aberdeen and Burnley on 11 October. Officials are also monitoring developments in relation to DWP''s review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) which it will use to support the reassessment of incapacity benefit. Copies of a DWP briefing pack on reassessing customers in receipt of incapacity benefits are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51313).