 Welcome to the fifth meeting of the welfare reform committee for 2016, which will be our last meeting of this parliamentary session. Christina McKelvie will be late, she's stuck in traffic at the moment. Can everyone make sure that mobile phones and other electronic devices are either switched off or turned to aeroplane mode? Item 1, can we agree to take item 4 in private? Item 2, on our agenda, evidence in the subordinate legislation, council tax reduction Scotland amendment regulations 2016. We have with us Robin Haines, who is the head of the council tax unit at the Scottish Government. This is a negative instrument that amends the principle regulations concerning council tax reduction to reflect the UK Government's operating of social security benefits for 2016-17, and it makes a number of additional and consequential amendments. Can I invite Robin Haines to brief the committee? Good morning and thank you. I think that myself, one of my colleagues have put in an annual appearance in front of this committee at a similar time since the council tax reduction scheme was introduced in 2013. The statutory instrument laid in the subject of discussion this morning continues that pattern of reflecting changes to the social security system by the UK Government. That very much reflects the policy commitment given by Scottish ministers when council tax benefit was abolished. That was that everyone or all individuals net council tax liability would remain, as it would have been, had council tax benefit not been abolished. Our nearest comparator to that has been changes to the housing benefits scheme, in that historically entitlement to council tax benefit and housing benefit was subject to exactly the same criteria. That has been used as a yardstick. In essence, the changes reflect amendments to the working age regulations. Normally, lay allowances within the applicable amount are uprated by the UK Government, but in the relevant period the CPI was actually negative, so those are unchanged. The equivalent amendments for the pension age regulations reflect the UK Government's triple lock on entitlement to pensioners. There are one or two other bits and pieces of legislative reference updating, if you like, for example regulation 4 changes some of the references to reflect new policy schemes, and regulation 6. I do not know how many people will be coming from Wales subject to this criteria, but nevertheless has been to be one if it is not done. You mentioned for the period concerned that CPI was negative, so therefore there would be no change. What period was that? That was the year until September. I think so, I would have to clarify, but yes, my notes say that September's CPI was negative, minus 0.1 per cent. Is that still the case? Anybody for this year, presumably any changes would be in September, would that be right? The reference period would be in September, but of course the scheme going forward from 17 onwards would be a matter for an incoming Scottish Government. Would that then include what operating method was used? Could they then decide not to apply CPI and to revert to what was there before? A new Government could change just about anything in the scheme if they so desired. The scheme is enabled under powers in the 1992 Local Government Finance Act, so the whole scheme is set in secondary legislation. So the power lies with the Scottish Government to determine what method of operating it would apply. So if, for example, it is felt that CPI was either inappropriate or unfair or didn't properly reflect cost of living increases, it could go to arguably RPI or something else? Absolutely, yes. Okay, anyone else? No? Okay, thank you very much for that. Thank you. Okay, item 3 on our agenda. Does the committee have any comments on the subordinate legislation? Happy enough to agree it? Thank you. And just before I go into private session, this is our last meeting of this parliamentary session. It will also be my last meeting as a member of the Scottish Parliament as a convener, having been a convener in the European Committee, then interrupted by a stint as a minister, being convener twice of the Public Audit Committee and now a welfare reform committee. I have enjoyed my time as a convener. I think that the committees of this Parliament are important and the way I have regarded for a while is at least as the cutting edge of the Scottish Parliament. I hope that, in the new Parliament, whatever the composition is of that Parliament, the committees will be robust in holding the Governments of the day to account because it is the least that the public expects of. I think that it is an important facet of parliamentary democracy. To those attempting to come back, I would not quite wish everyone good luck because I will have my political prejudices, but I am sure that you will enjoy the next few weeks. I can certainly say that while I am engaged in campaigning, there is slightly less pressure, not being a candidate, and that is quite a nice feeling. Thank you for the work that the committee members have done in welfare reform. I know, Kevin, that you have been here from the beginning. While it is a relatively new committee, it has made its mark with the impending changes. There are going to be exciting opportunities to influence the political agenda. I think that there will be challenges. There is no doubt about that. I am sure that, whether it is this committee or whether the Parliament decides to restructure its committees, whichever committee has it, there will be some fascinating and interesting discussions to take place. Thank you to Mr Haynes, and good luck to the new committees in the Parliament.