Social Security Committee to investigate citizen’s income
Commenting on plans by Holyrood's Social Security Committee to investigate the feasibility of introducing a citizen’s income, Alison Johnstone MSP, Social Security spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, said:
"A Citizen’s Income, coupled with progressive taxation, is a long-standing Scottish Green Party policy, and during the 2014 independence campaign we outlined how an independent Scotland could make it happen and how it would reduce inequality in society. It's a policy which aims to reduce stress, end the stigma of receiving state support and reduce bureaucracy.
"It's clearly an idea worth exploring, even with the limited powers of devolution, so we build understanding and support for it. I look forward to hearing evidence from the various experts due to appear before the Committee in March."
Finland is trialling a basic income, as are the Dutch cities of Groningen, Tilburg, Utrecht and Wageningen and the Canadian province of Ontario. French presidential candidates have backed the idea. Here in Scotland, councils in Fife and Glasgow may also stage a trial.