The SNP has said the Labour government must u-turn on its cuts to the winter fuel payment – after Health Secretary Wes Streeting admitted Labour failed to undertake an impact assessment of the cuts on the health of pensioners.
The shock admission in a BBC Breakfast interview follows growing pressure on Keir Starmer to publish the UK government’s full impact assessment and U-turn on the cuts.
The Labour Party’s own research has previously suggested its cuts could result in the deaths of 4,000 pensioners.
The Labour cuts will hit around 860,000 pensioners in Scotland to the tune of £500 per household per year, or £2,500 by the next general election.
Despite this, not a single Labour MP in Scotland voted against the cuts to their constituents’ incomes.
The UK Department of Health’s own guidance on carrying out a Health Impact assessment (HIA) clearly states that they should be “started at the beginning of the policy development process, with adequate time and resources available to support it”.
It goes on to say a HIA should consist of a “policy lead, supported by economists, analysts, social researchers’”.
Commenting, SNP Health spokesperson Seamus Logan MP said:
“The Labour government must urgently clarify if Wes Streeting’s shock admission is true – that it didn’t even bother to carry out a health impact assessment of the winter fuel payment cuts to pensioners.
“The Labour Party’s own research suggests around 4,000 pensioners could die as a result of its cuts.
“If no official assessment was carried out, it is a shocking dereliction of duty and makes it even more important that Keir Starmer urgently u-turns on these damaging and deeply unpopular Labour Party cuts.
“SNP MPs voted against the cuts, which will hit around 860,000 Scottish pensioners and slash Scotland’s budget by more than £100million.
“It was appalling that not a single Scottish Labour MP joined us – surely now, they must back calls for an immediate U-turn.
“Pensioners are understandably furious that Labour has broken its election promises – and is making a political choice to continue Tory austerity cuts and attack the incomes of thousands of older people on a low or modest income.
“This isn’t the change voters were promised and pensioners deserve better.”
