Jamie Greene Conservative candidate for Cunninghame North has responded to the news on foodbank use in the West of Scotland.
Jamie told local press that "Of course nobody wants to see the need for foodbanks to exist in Scotland or indeed anywhere in the Western world but the fact is these third sector facilities operate all over the world, and many western countries have a much higher proportion of them than we do. The church, state and third sector have always looked at ways of helping those who need short term assistance and the majority of food bank users only require one visit as a short term bridge when they find themselves in need. I have visited the local foodbanks in Inverclyde and North Ayrshire and spoke to the volunteers there to learn more about usage. I support the good work they do and it is important to recognise that, rather than play political football with them. Like many of the charities and groups I support and work with, it is important to understand their function, plans and usage to allow us to be better politicians."
On the specifics of sanctions and payments. Mr Greene said that there had been improvements in welfare payments and now 93 % of welfare payments are now processed on time. He said however that he was "committed to improving this". There are also now hardship funds and grants available to people who need it and according to the local Tory, the current government has reduced the payment on this down to 3 days.
Mr Greened said "I will also say this though, the UK Government's benefits changes were long overdue, with Labour having allowed a culture of benefits dependency to develop. Keeping people locked in a lifetime of benefits where it pays more to be on the dole than it does to work. That has to change and it requires difficult decisions to do so. I was brought up in a Labour stronghold and spent the formative years of life under Labour governments, I saw generations of families fester in a lifetime of benefits.
I want to get more people into work because I believe that is the best route out of poverty, and since 2010 there have been 170,000 more jobs created in Scotland. In North Ayrshire alone the claimant count for JSA has gone down from over 6 percent to 3 percent in the last 5 years and the unemployment figure has gone down too. We still have work to do, I do not deny it, but I am committed to a society where those who can work, should work and that a strong economy will be able to help those who can't.
That is how we beat poverty, not by following SNP's plan to simply swell the welfare bill and dilute resources for those most in need. Of all the things one gets accused of when trying to make your way in politics, it certainly isn't true that I am not compassionate or live with my head stuck in the clouds. It is my upbringing and real life experiences of hardship that make me want to be an MSP in Scotland and use that position to help people aspire to a better life. So I will commit to using my political voice to contribute to the cross party debate in the complex problems that exist in Scotland."