SCoSS Board Meeting
Date: 17 December 2025
Time: 14:30
Venue: Microsoft Teams
Minutes
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
- Christopher Galloway, Analysis and Participation Support Officer
- Lisa Kinnear, Governance and Engagement Officer
1. Welcome and declaration of interests.
The Chair welcomed the Commissioners to the meeting and no interests were declared.
2. Draft Minutes of previous meeting.
The minutes of the November Board meeting were agreed.
3. The draft Care Leaver Payment (Scotland) Regulations 2026.
The Board discussed and reflected on the recent scrutiny process for the Care Leaver Payment regulations.
4. The draft Two Child Limit Payment (Scotland) Regulations 2026.
The Board discussed and reflected on the recent scrutiny process for the Two Child Limit Payment regulations.
5. Stakeholder day.
The Board discussed holding a stakeholder day and wider stakeholder engagement. The Board agreed a range of actions and agreed to consider this issue further in the new year.
6. Membership of the External Expert Panel.
The Board discussed draft criteria for selecting members of the external expert panel and potential candidates for appointment to panel. The Board agreed to further consider membership of the panel at the January Board meeting.
7. Chair’s update.
The Chair provided the Board with an update on his attendance at a meeting organised by the Ethical Standards Commissioner on Public Appointments in Scotland. The Chair noted that, in January, he will be meeting with the Chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) and members of SSAC representing ‘devolved nations’. The Chair also noted that he will be meeting with David Wallace, Chief Executive, Social Security Scotland, in February.
Marilyn Howard also updated the Board on the content of a recent meeting she attended with Advice Direct Scotland regarding independent advocacy.
8. Ad-hoc Board meeting.
The Board agreed to hold an Ad-hoc board meeting on Friday 16 January to discuss forthcoming draft up-rating regulations.
9. Any Other Business.
Andrew Strong provided the Board with an update on Charter research noting that two external research contracts had been awarded to The Lines Between Limited to carry out the external research on behalf of the Charter Sub-Committee. The Board noted that the Charter Sub-Committee met with the project team for the two contracts prior to the Board meeting.
The Board also considered updates on a forthcoming Equality and Human Rights Commission training session and with regard to the approval process for corporate documents.
Meeting closed at 16:30
Date of next Board meeting: 29 January 2026