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NEU Senior Regional Support Officer
Smith proposals ‘a missed chance’ for welfare devolution
Row breaks out after powers to alter benefits dropped

A ROW between Labour and the SNP over the Smith Commission proposals on devolution escalated yesterday as it emerged that welfare measures had been dropped from the final agreement.

According to BBC reports, a late draft of the commission's recommendations included devolving the power to vary universal credit - but the proposal did not make it into the final version.

Other benefits, including disability living allowance (DLA) and the personal independence payment (PIP) that replaces it, attendance allowance and carer's allowance, are to be devolved under the Smith plan.

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