Public

CAS has responded to the Scottish Parliament Welfare Reform Committee consultation on the future delivery of social security in Scotland.

CAS have responded to a Scottish Affairs Committee consultation on what their work should be during this parliament.

CAS has recently submitted a response to the Scottish Government's latest consultation on arrangements for the permanent Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF). This response is based on evidence from bureaux on how the interim SWF has been working for clients so far.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is conducting an inquiry into the energy industry. The CMA published its provisional findings and a set of provisional remedies in July 2015.

Scotland’s Citizens Advice Service is the most common external source of advice for employees who experience problems at work. In 2014/15 clients sought advice on 50,625 new employment issues, a number that has been increasing in recent years. Additionally, citizens advice bureaux see first-hand the effects of in-work poverty, with a growing number of working clients seeking advice because they are struggling to pay for essentials. These twin problems – unfair employment practices and low paid jobs – represent a worrying trend in recent years and ones which CAS believes need to be addressed.

CAS responds to the Department of Buisness, Innovation and Skills consultation on the Government's steer to the Competition and Markets Authority.

Whilst there are a number of areas of the Scotland Bill that fully meet the word and spirit of the Smith Agreement, Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) believes that, as currently drafted, there are a number of sections of the Bill relating to social security and tribunals that do not appear to meet its intent.  CAS is concerned that without changes being made there are clear risks of detriment to CAB clients, who sought advice on 207,875 new benefits issues in 2013/14 and who have been subject to recent changes to reserved tribunals which have had a marked and detrimental effect on consumers in Scotland.

In 2013, Citizens Advice Scotland conducted a survey with Scottish Citizens Advice Bureau clients who sought advice on a benefits issue, to explore their access, ability and desire to use the internet.  This report, Internet Access in Glasgow's Deprived Areas is an analysis of the responses from the original 2013 survey from CAB clients in Glasgow.

The Citizens Advice Service welcomes the opportunity to respond to the European Commission consultation on cross-border parcel delivery. A competitive cross-border delivery market has the potential to benefit consumers through greater choice. In our response we highlight that this market is still young, and as such any regulatory intervention runs the risk of disrupting the natural development of the market, which may develop the solutions to issues faced by consumers. We contend that introducing price caps at this stage would be premature and difficult to implement.