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Salmond calls housing benefit reform 'insane' ahead of Cameron talks Salmond says no agreement on benefit reforms after Cameron talks
(about 5 hours later)
Housing benefit reforms have been branded insane by First Minister Alex Salmond ahead of talks with Prime Minister David Cameron. The impact of changes to housing benefit has been raised by First Minister Alex Salmond in talks with Prime Minister David Cameron.
The leaders will meet at the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) in Downing Street, involving devolved administrations and the UK government. The leaders were meeting at the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) in Downing Street, involving devolved administrations and the UK government.
Mr Salmond said the "insanity" of the so-called bedroom tax was evident.Mr Salmond said the "insanity" of the so-called bedroom tax was evident.
But Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael said money was being put in to protect the most vulnerable. New Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael said it was clear there was a difference of views.
The JMC meeting comes on the eve of the SNP's conference in Perth and less than a year before the referendum on Scottish independence.The JMC meeting comes on the eve of the SNP's conference in Perth and less than a year before the referendum on Scottish independence.
'Hot issues''Hot issues'
Downing Street said the meeting, chaired by the prime minister, would focus on the economy and illegal immigration as well as the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup, both being held in Scotland next year. Mr Salmond raised the issue of the removal of the spare room subsidy, described by critics as the ''bedroom tax'', as well as youth unemployment and lottery funding.
But Mr Salmond is set to take issue with the UK government over the impact of coalition policies such as the removal of the spare room subsidy, described by critics as the ''bedroom tax'', as well as youth unemployment and lottery funding. The meeting, chaired by the prime minister, also focused on the economy and illegal immigration as well as the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup, both being held in Scotland next year.
The first minister told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "There's a subject on the agenda called hot political issues and I can't think of anything hotter than the bedroom tax at the present moment. Ahead of the talks, the first minister told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "There's a subject on the agenda called hot political issues and I can't think of anything hotter than the bedroom tax at the present moment.
"The insanity of the charge is becoming ever clearer by the day, so I'll be asking if there's going to be a review of the failure of the imposition in terms of what it aimed to do, the difficulty it's causing for families, the difficulty it's causing for housing associations and councils. "The insanity of the charge is becoming ever clearer by the day."
"And thirdly if we can get some indication of what the discretionary housing payment level is for next year, because the Scottish government obviously has backed and increased the amount available for families in Scotland this year up to its legal limit but we don't even know if there's going to be a discretionary housing payment to match for next year." Mr Salmond called for a review of the policy's impact and an indication of whether discretionary housing payments to mitigate its impact would continue next year.
After the talks he said no agreement was reached on the reforms, adding: "The way to agree on the 'bedroom tax' is to get it reversed."
Benefit problemsBenefit problems
Mr Carmichael, who will be at the meeting, has urged Mr Salmond not to arrive in Downing Street with a negative approach and said he should be prepared to listen and learn. Mr Carmichael, who also attended, had urged Mr Salmond not to take a negative approach and said he should be prepared to listen and learn.
Mr Salmond said Lib Dem and Labour criticism of his approach on the benefit changes was an example of other parties working in co-ordination with the Conservatives. Mr Salmond said Lib Dem and Labour criticism of his views on the benefit changes was an example of other parties working in co-ordination with the Conservatives.
Also attending the meeting will be the deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, leaders of the Welsh and Northern Irish governments, Scottish Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop and Scottish Youth Employment Minister Angela Constance.
Mr Carmichael told BBC Scotland that Mr Salmond must accept that there would be real problems in an independent Scotland running welfare reform and benefit payments.Mr Carmichael told BBC Scotland that Mr Salmond must accept that there would be real problems in an independent Scotland running welfare reform and benefit payments.
He said: "I would hope that if we were to be hearing about the problems, and nobody denies that there are problems, then we will have a conversation that might acknowledge some of the difficulties that they would face as well. He said: "The question of a review is one where in fact I think we are rather ahead of the curve because the deputy prime minister announced in the House of Commons yesterday that the government itself is having a review of this, and indeed we review all policies as they go along."
"The question of a review is one where in fact I think we are rather ahead of the curve because the deputy prime minister announced in the House of Commons yesterday that the government itself is having a review of this, and indeed we review all policies as they go along."
The Scottish secretary said difficult decisions had to be made to cut the deficit but if it was shown there were difficulties being caused by housing benefit changes the government would deal with them.The Scottish secretary said difficult decisions had to be made to cut the deficit but if it was shown there were difficulties being caused by housing benefit changes the government would deal with them.
Mr Carmichael said: "We always knew that this was going to be a very difficult policy to implement and we can see the obvious difficulties that come with it - we're not blind to that, I see it in my own constituency - that's why we've already put an enormous amount of money directly into local authorities so they can protect those that are going to be most vulnerable to the changes."Mr Carmichael said: "We always knew that this was going to be a very difficult policy to implement and we can see the obvious difficulties that come with it - we're not blind to that, I see it in my own constituency - that's why we've already put an enormous amount of money directly into local authorities so they can protect those that are going to be most vulnerable to the changes."
Salmond 'grandstanding'Salmond 'grandstanding'
Meanwhile, Labour's shadow Scottish Secretary, Margaret Curran, warned against Scottish government "grandstanding". Meanwhile, Labour's shadow Scottish Secretary, Margaret Curran, accused the Scottish government of "grandstanding".
She said: "What Scots need tomorrow is action to tackle the cost-of-living crisis, not more grandstanding from Alex Salmond and David Cameron. She said: "Prices are rising faster than wages, energy bills are still going up and the bedroom tax is continuing to hit people across the country.
"Prices are rising faster than wages, energy bills are still going up and the bedroom tax is continuing to hit people across the country.
"This is a rare opportunity to hammer out a plan to get to grips with this cost-of-living crisis."This is a rare opportunity to hammer out a plan to get to grips with this cost-of-living crisis.
"Instead of coming to London to tell David Cameron to bin the bedroom tax, Alex Salmond should be laying out a plan to stop it hitting Scots.""Instead of coming to London to tell David Cameron to bin the bedroom tax, Alex Salmond should be laying out a plan to stop it hitting Scots."
Also attending the meeting were the deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, leaders of the Welsh and Northern Irish governments, Scottish Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop and Scottish Youth Employment Minister Angela Constance.