2nd Meeting, 2021

Date: Thursday, September 2, 2021
Session: 6
Location: T4.40-CR2 The Fairfax Somerville Room
Meeting opened at: 09:00am
Meeting closed at: 11:30am

Committee Members Attendees

Jeremy Balfour
Miles Briggs 
Foysol Choudhury
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Neil Gray (Convener)
Marie McNair 
Emma Roddick

Evelyn Tweed (Substitute)

Apologies were received from: Natalie Don.

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1 Declaration of interests: 

Evelyn Tweed MSP declared an interest as a member of Stirling Council and a member of GMB Union. 

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2 Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 6 and 7 in private.

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3 Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed its consideration of a draft stage 1 report on the Carer’s Allowance Supplement (Scotland) Bill should be taken in private at future meetings. 

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4 Subordinate legislation:

The Committee considered the following negative instrument—

The Welfare Foods (Best Start Foods) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021 (SSI 2021/221) 

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5 Carer’s Allowance Supplement (Scotland) Bill:

The Committee took evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—

Salena Begley, Partner Engagement Manager, Family Fund;

Colin Toal, Unpaid Carer, Lanarkshire Carers;

Fiona Collie, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Carers Scotland (representing the National Carer Organisations);

and then from—

Ben Macpherson, Minister for Social Security and Local Government, Andrew Strong,Carer Benefits Policy, Senior Policy Officer, Kate Thomson-McDermott,Head of Case Transfer and Carer Benefits Unit and Stephanie Virlogeux,Solicitor, Scottish Government .

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6 Carer’s Allowance Supplement (Scotland) Bill (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence heard earlier in the meeting.

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7 Work programme (in private):

 The Committee considered its work programme and agreed its approach to pre - budget scrutiny for 2022/23.

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