BBC - Democracy Live - Scottish Parliament The Welfare Reform Committee is taking evidence from Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on the Scottish government's passported benefits consultation. In June 2012, the Scottish government published the consultation paper on changes required as a result of the introduction of Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment by Westminster. According to the Scottish government respondents expressed concerns that under the proposed welfare reform, many individuals currently in receipt of passported benefits will lose these. It said there was support for the four underlying principles of simplification, auto-entitlement, information transfer and making work pay, with a call for those individuals currently receiving passported benefits to continue to receive them. MSPs passed the Welfare Reform (Further Provision) (Scotland) Bill after its final debate on 28 June 2012. During the debate Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish government "would do everything we can to protect" vulnerable people from the worst impact of the welfare reform. Ms Sturgeon said it was the intention of the government to ensure stakeholders continued to be involved and consulted and "come with us every step of the way." The bill was an enabling one which confers powers on Scottish ministers to make provision via regulations for changes in consequence of the new Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment created under the Welfare Reform Act (UK). It aims to ensure that devolved policies such as the provision of free school meals and blue badge parking will continue to operate in Scotland after changes are made to the UK benefit system. In closing the health secretary said she was not prepared to "expose vulnerable people to the risk of not getting their passported benefits." She closed the debate saying: "On welfare we are most certainly not better together" and that the UK welfare reforms did "not reflect Scottish values." Scottish Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone said his party would vote in favour of the bill but he was "disappointed it has become necessary" due to the parliament's partial rejection of the legislative consent motion on the UK Welfare Reform Bill. Mr Johnstone said there was a need to ensure a few more people were working and a few less on welfare.