Minutes: 31 March 2022

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 6, 7 and 8 in private.

2. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee took evidence on the Social Security (Up-rating) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 from—

Ben Macpherson, Minister for Social Security and Local Government, Simon Coote, Head of Cross Cutting Policy Unit, Camilo Arredondo, Solicitor and Dominic Mellan, Economic Adviser - Social Security Analysis, Scottish Government.

3. Subordinate legislation:

Ben Macpherson (Minister for Social Security and Local Government) moved—S6M-03675—

That the Social Justice and Social Security Committee recommends that the Social Security (Up-rating) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 be approved.

The motion was agreed to without division.

4. Case Transfer:

The Committee took evidence from—

Ben Macpherson, Minister for Social Security and Local Government, David Hilber, Team Leader, Case Transfer Policy, Kayleigh Blair, Solicitor and Kate Thomson-McDermott, Unit Head, Carer Benefits and Case Transfer Policy, Scottish Government;

Jane Goodier, Senior Lead for Disability and Carers Benefits, Social Security Scotland.

5. Kinship Care:

The Committee took evidence from—

Clare Haughey, Minister for Children and Young People, Gwen Davidson, Unit Head, Improving Lives for People with Care Experience and Louisa Brown, Family Care Team Leader, Improving Lives for People with Care Experience, Scottish Government.

6. Case Transfer (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence heard earlier in the meeting.

7. Kinship Care (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence heard earlier in the meeting.

8. Work programme (in private):

The Committee considered its work programme and agreed its approach to the Best Start, Bright Futures: tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022-26. It also agreed to draft a report on Kinship Care, further considered its approach to the Low Income and Debt inquiry and agreed draft letters to the UK Government and Scottish Government on the Department for Work and Pension's role in devolved Social Security.