SNP's eye-watering cost of testing benefits bugs revealed despite delays to payments
Benefits Rammy SNP's eye-watering cost of testing benefits bugs revealed despite delays to payments
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NATS ministers have spent £400,000 testing whether their benefits system is still working.
The costly check for bugs in the £250million IT set-up followed years of delays in rolling out payments.
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Tory MSP Liz Smith insisted Nats must 'get a grip' on the soaring costs.
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Last year Adults Disability Payments were held up for months due to system problems.
Credit: PA
The Social Security Scotland bill is set to be £2billion more than if powers had not been devolved in 2016 — due to extra payouts approved by the SNP.
Yet they claimed during the 2014 indy campaign the state body would take just 18 months to create and cost £200million.
Last night Tory MSP Liz Smith insisted Nats must 'get a grip' on the soaring costs.
She said: 'Taxpayers are having to foot an ever-increasing bill just because SNP ministers want to do things differently. They must ensure Social Security Scotland delivers value for money.'
The total cost for creating the separate Scots benefits infrastructure is around £700million.
Last year Adults Disability Payments were held up for months due to system problems.
And IT delays mean the UK Department for Work and Pensions will continue to handle Scots benefits until next year.
The £400,000 testing contract states it will provide ministers with a 'roadmap for future modernisation and investment'.
Social Security Scotland said: 'It is essential our IT systems are regularly reviewed to ensure we can deliver vital payments safely and securely.'
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