Date: 25 September 2025

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
• Keith Rae, Senior Policy Manager
• Christopher Galloway, Analysis and Participation Support Officer

Scottish Government officials (for Agenda Item 3)—

• Aisha Pereyra. Team leader, A good childhood: Children and Young People, Director-General Education and Justice;
• Nicola Davidson, Policy Official, A good childhood: Children and Young People, Director-General Education and Justice; and
• Deborah Davies, Policy Manager, A good childhood: Children and Young People, Director-General Education and Justice.

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

The minutes of the August Board meeting were agreed.

The Scottish Government officials, in attendance for this agenda item, presented on the content of the draft regulations.  There followed an extensive discussion on the purpose, scope and process for development of the draft regulations.

Following discussion with officials, Commissioners agreed to provide further written questions to officials to aid scrutiny of the regulations.  The scrutiny approach was also considered and a number of issues for discussion with stakeholders were agreed.  It was also agreed to hold a stakeholder engagement event in conjunction with Who Cares Scotland.

Keith Rae presented an overview of the recommendations made in the report of the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment.  Subsequent discussion with Board members focussed on the potential impact of the review recommendations on the future work of the Commission.

The Board discussed the scrutiny process for a number of reports that had been completed recently within extremely tight timescales.  The Board also agreed a retrospective scrutiny response to the Social Security (Residence and Presence Requirements) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2025.

The Board also agreed to invite officials from the Scottish Government Legal Directorate to a future meeting of the Board.

Members agreed the minutes of the Charter Sub-Committee meeting of 18 August.

Commissioners discussed and agreed the note of the Commission’s ‘away day’ of 11 June.  It was also agreed that a paper providing an update on the actions agreed at the away day would be considered at a future meeting.

The Commissioners discussed progress, to date, against the objectives and priorities in the 2025-26 Business Plan.  It was agreed that Adam Bennett would begin work to consider the structure of the 2026-27 Business Plan, including measurement of progress against the objectives and priorities in the plan.

The Board noted the update on the 2025-26 financial position.

Commissioners discussed the changing governance arrangements of the Commission following the removal of ‘body corporate’ status and the requirement to be subject to external audit.  It was agreed that the Audit Sub-Committee should be re-purposed to deal with a range of governance issues.  The Board agreed that the Secretariat should provide a paper setting out the revised role for the Sub-Committee for consideration at a future Board meeting.

The Board agreed a social media policy.

The Chair advised that he would be meeting with Professor Stephen Sinclair, Chair of the Poverty and Inequality Commission on 26 September.  The Board discussed possible issues for discussion at the meeting.

Members agreed to consider meeting dates via correspondence.

No business was discussed.

Meeting closed at 16:36

Date of next Board meeting: Thursday 30 October 2025