Minutes: 09 June 2022

1. Decision on taking business in private:

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

2. Medium-term Financial Strategy and Resource Spending Review Framework:

The Committee took evidence from—

Dame Susan Rice DBE, Chair, Professor David Ulph, Commissioner and Claire Murdoch, Head of Social Security and Public Funding, Scottish Fiscal Commission.

3. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee took evidence on the Disability Assistance for Working Age People (Transitional Provisions and Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 from—

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

Darren Kelly, Head of Operations Dundee, Social Security Scotland.

4. Subordinate legislation:

Ben Macpherson (Minister for Social Security and Local Government) moved—S6M-04303—That the Social Justice and Social Security Committee recommends that the Disability Assistance for Working Age People (Transitional Provisions and Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 be approved.

The motion was agreed to without division.

5. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee considered the following negative instrument— Council Tax Reduction (Scotland) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations 2022 (SSI 2022/161) and agreed to make no recommendations.

6. Medium-term Financial Strategy and Resource Spending Review Framework (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence heard earlier in the meeting.

7. Work programme (in private):

The Committee considered its work programme and agreed its approach to its Child Poverty and local approaches inquiry. It also agreed to hold a future business planning event and to delegate final arrangements for the programme to the Convener. In anticipation of being designated lead Committee to consider the Scottish Government’s Legislative Consent Memorandum on the UK Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Bill, the Committee agreed to invite the Minister for Social Security and Local Government to give oral evidence. Also, the Committee agreed a response to the Scottish Commission on Social Security (SCoSS) in relation to its draft strategic objectives and to write to Dr Sally Witcher in response to her letter advising the Committee of her resignation from SCoSS.