The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 ("the Act") provided for the establishment of the Poverty and Inequality Commission.

A non-statutory body also known as the Poverty and Inequality Commission was established by the Scottish Ministers on 3 July 2017. When section 8 and the schedule of the Act come into force on 1 July 2019, the non-statutory body will cease, to be succeeded by the statutory Commission.

The Act requires that Scottish Ministers may appoint a person as a member of the Commission only if the Scottish Parliament has approved the appointment. This report concerns the appointment of the Chair of the Commission. Other members will be appointed in 2019.

The process for appointment of the Chair has been regulated by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland.

On 11 December 2018 the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government wrote to the Committee setting out her nomination for the position of Chair. The nominee is Bill Scott. The letter was accompanied by information submitted by Mr Scott as part of the application process.

In advance of the Parliament being invited to approve the appointment, at its meeting on 20 December 2018, the Committee took evidence from the nominee about his suitability for appointment based upon the advertised criteria for the post. The criteria are included in the Committee papers for that meeting . The Official Report of the meeting is also available on the Committee's website.

Following the evidence session, the Committee agreed to recommend to the Parliament that it approve the Cabinet Secretary's nomination for appointment.