Date: 12 September 2023

Time: 13:30

Venue: Microsoft Teams

Present—

• Judith Paterson (Interim Co-Chair)
• Dr Mark Simpson (Interim Co-Chair)
• Marilyn Howard (Member)
• Jackie Gulland (Member)

Apologies: None

 In Attendance (SCoSS Secretariat)—

• 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 Interim Co-Chair, Judith Paterson, welcomed the Commissioners to the eighth meeting of the Board in 2023.

Members did not have any relevant interests to declare.

The Minutes of the August Board meeting were considered and agreed.

The Board scrutinised, on a line-by-line basis, the draft regulations.  The Board then considered the next steps in scrutiny of the draft regulations, including a range of engagement events that will be held prior to the October Board meeting.

The Board considered a draft report on the regulations and agreed to finalise the report by correspondence prior to publication of the report by 27 September.

The Board considered the content of discussion and outcomes arising from a recent meeting that Commissioners attended with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (Scotland).  The Board also considered how the discussion would influence the content of discussion at a forthcoming meeting with Scottish Government officials regarding the equality impact assessment accompanying the draft Disability Assistance for Older People (Scotland) Regulations 2024.

The Board considered and agreed the work programme.  It was also noted that Judith Paterson would be providing evidence to the Social Justice and Social Security Committee, on the Carer’s Assistance (Carer Support Payment) (Scotland) Regulations 2023, on 21 September.

The Board considered its approach to Charter research and agreed to—

• Commission a short-term research project;
• Undertake initial planning work on the focus for longer term Charter research in order that this can be undertaken in the 2024-25 financial year; and
• Establish a Sub-Committee to oversee research commissioned on the Charter.

The Board considered the accessibility of the SCoSS website.

Meeting closed at – 16:54

Date of Next Meeting: Wednesday 18 October