At its meeting on 2nd April 2025, the Education, Children and Young People Committee considered a piece of subordinate legislation which is subject to the affirmative procedure.

The report summarises the purpose and the scrutiny of the instrument as well as confirming the Committee's decision.

The minutes of the meeting have been published. The Official Report of the meeting will be published in due course

The Social Security Information-sharing (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025 [draft] was laid before Parliament on 10 March 2025.

The purpose of the instrument is to amend the Social Security Information-sharing (Scotland) Regulations 2021 to provide a legal gateway for information-sharing by Social Security Scotland with Scottish local authorities.

A draft policy note can be accessed here.

The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the regulations on 18 March 2025. The Committee published its report on 18 March 2025 and made no recommendations in relation to the regulations.

At its meeting on 2 April 2025, the Committee took evidence from Jenny Gilruth MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills; Laura Meikle, Head of Support and Wellbeing Unit, Scottish Government and Nico McKenzie-Juetten, Lawyer, Scottish Government Legal Directorate.

The Committee requested further information on:

• The Data Protection Impact Assessment being developed for these regulations and the process for relevant Committees to scrutinise any issues that may be identified in the assessment;

• How learning from the process involved in developing these regulations could be applied to other areas requiring data sharing, particularly in respect of the widening access agenda;

• examples of work being undertaken by schools to ensure that young people aren't stigmatised when accessing free school meals.

The Cabinet Secretary committed to provide this information, either directly, or via Social Security Scotland.

Jenny Gilruth MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills moved motion SM6-16753— That the Education, Children and Young People Committee recommends the Social Security Information-sharing (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025 [draft] be agreed.

The Committee agreed the motion unanimously.