Seòmar agus comataidhean

I thank the cabinet secretary and her officials.

Our final agenda item today is consideration of a Scottish statutory instrument that is subject to the negative procedure. The purpose of the instrument is to uprate premiums and allowances that are used in the council tax reduction scheme when the level of council tax reduction that a household should receive is calculated. Do members have any comments on the instrument?

A very good morning, and welcome to the fifth meeting in 2024 of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee. We have received no apologies today.

Our first item of business is consideration of two Scottish statutory instruments. The draft instruments have been laid under the affirmative procedure, which means that the Parliament must approve them before they come into force.

I welcome to the meeting Shirley-Anne Somerville, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, and her officials from the Scottish Government: Kyle Murray is a policy adviser, Dominic Mellan is an economic adviser, and Katie Joshi is a lawyer. Thank you very much for joining us today.

Following this evidence session, the committee will be invited to consider motions to approve the two draft instruments. I remind everyone that Scottish Government officials can speak under this item but not during the debate that follows.

I invite the cabinet secretary to make a short opening statement.

Agenda item 3 is formal consideration of motion S6M-12002. I invite the cabinet secretary to move the motion.

Motion moved,

That the Social Justice and Social Security Committee recommends that the Social Security Up-rating (Scotland) Order 2024 [draft] be approved.—[Shirley-Anne Somerville]

Motion agreed to.

As there are no other comments, I invite the committee to agree that it does not wish to make any recommendation in relation to the instrument. Are members content to note the instrument?

Members indicated agreement.

That concludes our business for today.

Good morning, and welcome to the third meeting in 2024 of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee. We have received no apologies this morning.

Our first item of business is a decision on whether to take agenda item 4 in private. The committee is also asked to decide whether to consider in private at future meetings the Scottish Government’s report on the review of Poverty and Inequality Commission resignations and the committee’s follow-up on its inquiry into addressing child poverty through parental employment. Are we agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

Thanks very much. We will now focus on stock management, new housing supply and budgets. I call John Mason.

Gordon MacRae would like to come in.

I will just interrupt to say that I am conscious of the time. Can we be quite concise and succinct in our questions and our answers? We have until roughly 10 past 10 this morning, and several members still want to come in. Thank you.