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14th Meeting, 2021
The Committee agreed to take items 3, 4 and 5 in private.
The Committee took evidence on the Scottish Government’s new Adult Disability Payment from—
Ed Pybus, Policy and Parliamentary Officer, Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland;
Richard Gass, Welfare Rights and Money Advice Manager, Rights Advice Scotland;
Judith Paterson, Member, Scottish Commission on Social Security;
and then from—
Craig Smith, Senior Policy and Research Officer, Scottish Association for Mental Health;
Frank McKillop, Head of Policy and Research, ENABLE Scotland;
Keith Park, Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager, MS Society Scotland;
Trisha Hatt, Macmillan Strategic Partnership Manager, Macmillan Cancer Support;
Bill Scott, Senior Policy Advisor, Inclusion Scotland.
The Committee considered the evidence heard earlier in the meeting and agreed to write to the Scottish Government and the UK Government.
The Committee considered its work programme and agreed its approach to three thematic sessions on Kinship Carers, Refugees and Asylum, and Violence Against Women and Girls and Domestic Violence.
Evidence sessions were also agreed on the Medium Term Financial Strategy, the Framework for the Resource Spending Review and the Resource Spending Review; the forthcoming publications of the child poverty statistics; the Scottish Government’s second Tackling Child Poverty Plan; the proposed new benefit of Low Income Winter Heating Assistance; the proposed Scottish Carers Assistance; and the Scottish Child Payment evaluation report when available.
The Committee further agreed to undertake inquiries into Low Income and Debt Advice; Local Child Poverty Action Plans; and Disability Assistance Benefits.
Lastly, the Committee agreed to write to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee on the National Planning Framework 4 and to meet jointly with the Criminal Justice Committee and the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee to discuss the Misuse of Drugs.
The Committee agreed a draft letter to the Scottish Government following its session on low income and debt.