Date: 23 February 2023
Time: 13:30
Venue: MS Teams

• Judith Paterson (Acting Co-Chair)
• Dr Mark Simpson (Acting Co-Chair)
• Marilyn Howard (Member)

None

• Stephen Herbert, Secretary
• Andrew Strong, Head of Policy and Scrutiny
• Andrzej Hagger, Analysis and Participation Officer
• Christopher Galloway, Analysis and Participation Support Officer
• Dorothy Warren, Governance and Engagement Officer
• Lisa Kinnear, Service Support Administrator

The Acting Co-Chair, Judith Paterson, welcomed the Board to the meeting.  Members did not have any relevant interests to declare.

The Minutes of the January Board meeting, subject to some minor drafting changes, were agreed.

In attendance for this agenda item –

• Emma Congreve, Deputy Director, Fraser of Allander Institute;
• Ailsa Burns Murdoch, Senior Researcher, Scottish Parliament Information Centre; and
• Camilla Kidner, Senior Researcher, Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

The Board discussed the recent SCoSS up-rating report with the representatives from the Fraser of Allander Institute and SPICe and the approach to scrutiny of draft up-rating regulations that will be considered towards the end of 2023.  Consideration was also given to the impact of SCoSS scrutiny reports.

The Board received a scrutiny planning update from the Secretariat in relation to a range of regulations that are expected to be referred to SCoSS in the coming months.  The Board considered areas of scrutiny which would be undertaken in relation to forthcoming draft Carer Support Payment regulations.  The Board also agreed to hold a round-table discussion, potentially in March, with relevant academics in relation to these forthcoming regulations.

In addition, the Board also agreed to hold an ‘ad-hoc’ meeting on 8 March for more detailed consideration of the approach to scrutiny of draft regulations which are expected to be referred to SCoSS in advance of that date.

The Board noted that the Scottish Government consultation on the Adult Disability Payment Mobility Component was a pre-legislative consultation.  Given that context, and that any subsequent draft regulations that may result from the consultation would be referred to SCoSS, the Board agreed that it would not be appropriate to respond to this consultation.

In attendance for this agenda item –

• Alasdair Black, Scottish Government Sponsor Unit; and
• Ross Stephen, Scottish Government Sponsor Unit.

The Board provided feedback to officials from the Scottish Government Sponsor Unit on the recommendations from the Independent Review of SCoSS conducted by Glen Shuraig consultants.

The Board agreed a timeline for, and Strategic Objectives to inform, the development of the 2023-24 SCoSS Business Plan.  The Board also agreed that Judith Paterson would be the Board Member to lead on development of the plan.

The Board considered and agreed the financial position and fraud and error update provided by the Secretariat.

The Board considered the content of discussion with the Fraser of Allander Institute and SPICe from earlier in the Board meeting.

The Board agreed to hold a Board meeting on 29 June.

Meeting closed at 16:48.

Date of next meeting – 30 March 2023.