THE impact of Universal Credit, and in particular the damaging effect of the implementation of benefit sanctions on claimants, is something that is regularly raised with my office, although the policy is one imposed on Scotland by the Tory UK Government.

Indeed, Tory MP Luke Graham spoke in a debate earlier this year in which he stated that "universal credit is a positive and transformational reform".

I suspect this will come as news to anyone who has been sanctioned under the Draconian regime implemented by the Tories.

However, I am hopeful that an inquiry being undertaken by Parliament's Work and Pensions Select Committee will offer an opportunity to pile pressure on the Tory UK Government, and indeed Tory MP Luke Graham, to reform a failing sanctions system that is inflicting such misery on people.

The inquiry will examine how benefit sanctions currently operate, including recent developments with their operation, and what the evidence there is that these are in any way effective either to deter non-compliant behaviour or to help achieve the policy objectives of getting people off benefits and into work.

I am keen to encourage any constituents who have experience of benefit sanctions to provide me with details of their experiences, so that these can be considered by the Select Committee.

Similarly, I hope that those agencies and charities dealing with the dire consequences of Tory benefit sanctions will provide evidence that can help the committee evaluate the operation of this policy, and make recommendations on how to improve this.

This is an important issue here in Clackmannanshire because so many people are being detrimentally affected. Statistics from local foodbanks show that the second highest reason for referrals for emergency food parcels is due to the impact of benefit sanctions. I hope we can provide evidence of the failure of this policy, so that much needed changes can be made, and I would welcome any comments via my constituency office on benefit sanctions by Friday, May 18, which I will compile and submit to be considered by the Select Committee as part of its inquiry.

Last week, we also saw the UK Government take the unprecedented step of challenging the legislative competence the Scottish Parliament's Continuity Bill, and the equivalent from the Welsh Government, at the UK Supreme Court.

The Continuity Bill was passed by 95 votes to 32 in the Scottish Parliament – an overwhelming majority – and Scottish Ministers are satisfied that the Bill is within legislative competence. It is an important and necessary piece of legislation to prepare Scotland's laws for Brexit while protecting the powers of the Scottish Parliament that people voted for.

The Scottish Government has made clear it cannot recommend the Scottish Parliament consent to the Withdrawal Bill in its current form, and the Lord Advocate will be arguing in the Supreme Court that it is within the powers of the Scottish Parliament to prepare for the consequences for devolved matters of a UK withdrawal from the European Union.