Date: 30 April 2026

Time: 13:30

Venue: Microsoft Teams

Present—

• Ed Pybus (Chair)
• Adam Bennett (Member)
• Dr Marilyn Howard (Member)
• Judith Paterson (Member)
• Dr Mark Simpson (Member)

Apologies: None

In attendance (SCoSS Secretariat)—

• Stephen Herbert, Secretary
• Andrew Strong, Head of Policy and Scrutiny
• Keith Rae, Senior Policy Manager
• Christopher Galloway, Analysis and Participation Support Officer
• Lisa Kinnear, Governance and Engagement Officer

Scottish Government officials (for Agenda Item 3)—

• Douglas McLaren, Senior Sponsor, Scottish Government.
• Julie McKinney and Munwar Hussain, SCoSS Sponsor Unit, Scottish Government.

The Chair welcomed the Commissioners to the meeting and no interests were declared.

The minutes of the February Board meeting were amended and agreed.

The new Senior Sponsor for the Commission, Douglas McLaren, along with Julie McKinney and Munwar Hussain from the Sponsor Unit, joined the Board for this agenda item.

Several topics were discussed such as the closure of the Social Security programme, restructuring of the policy division and relationships between the new Policy Directorate and Social Security Scotland. The work of the Policy Directorate ahead of Scottish Parliament election, preparations for the new Government and the potential workload of the Commission in the next parliamentary session were also discussed.

Andrew Strong provided the Board with an update on the work of the Charter Sub-Committee, including the two external research reports undertaken by The Lines Between Ltd. The Board noted that the Charter Sub-Committee will consider next steps in relation to the two reports at the next meeting of the Charter Sub-Committee on 13 May and their recommendations will be considered at the May Board meeting. The Board also noted that The Lines Between Ltd will attend the May Board meeting.

The Board considered and agreed the minutes of the February and March Charter Sub-Committee meetings.

The Board considered a draft version of the 2025-26 annual report on a page-by-page basis. The Board noted this is the Commission’s first annual report not to be subject to external audit. The Board agreed a number of changes to the report and that the revised version should be signed off by the Chair.

The Board noted that the annual report will be provided to the Sponsor Unit and Senior Sponsor for comment and then it will be signed off by the relevant Minister prior to being laid in Parliament and publication.

The Board were provided with an update on the proposed agenda for the in-person Board meeting on 25 June. The Board noted that a further update and draft programme for the day will be provided at the May Board meeting.

The Chair provided the Board with an update on the external panel noting that he had met with all the potential members of the panel. He highlighted the key areas discussed, including the next steps. It was also proposed that panel members be invited to a future Board meeting to meet the Board.

The Board considered the Scottish Government’s response to the independent review of Adult Disability Payment (ADP).

The Board noted the Scottish Government response.

The Board had a discussion on their training session that was held by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on 30 March.

The Board considered the Scottish Government’s third Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan which was published in March 2026.

Keith Rae provided the Board with an update on manifesto commitments made by political parties during the Scottish Parliament 2026 election campaign as they relate to social security in Scotland and SCoSS’s remit.

The Chair provided the Board with an update on his meetings since the last Board meeting in February.

Andrew Strong provided the Board with an update on future scrutiny work.

Meeting closed at 16:56

Date of next Board meeting: Wednesday 20 May