Meeting Minutes
2nd Meeting, 2021
Date: Thursday, September 2, 2021
Session: 6
Location: T4.40-CR2 The Fairfax Somerville Room
Meeting opened at: 09:00am
Meeting closed at: 11:30am
Committee Members Attendees
Jeremy Balfour
Miles Briggs
Foysol Choudhury
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Neil Gray (Convener)
Marie McNair
Emma Roddick
Evelyn Tweed (Substitute)
Apologies were received from: Natalie Don.
1 Declaration of interests:
Evelyn Tweed MSP declared an interest as a member of Stirling Council and a member of GMB Union.2 Decision on taking business in private:
The Committee agreed to take items 6 and 7 in private.
3 Decision on taking business in private:
The Committee agreed its consideration of a draft stage 1 report on the Carer’s Allowance Supplement (Scotland) Bill should be taken in private at future meetings.4 Subordinate legislation:
The Committee considered the following negative instrument—
The Welfare Foods (Best Start Foods) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021 (SSI 2021/221)
5 Carer’s Allowance Supplement (Scotland) Bill:
The Committee took evidence on the Bill at Stage 1 from—
Salena Begley, Partner Engagement Manager, Family Fund;
Colin Toal, Unpaid Carer, Lanarkshire Carers;
Fiona Collie, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Carers Scotland (representing the National Carer Organisations);
and then from—
Ben Macpherson, Minister for Social Security and Local Government, Andrew Strong,Carer Benefits Policy, Senior Policy Officer, Kate Thomson-McDermott,Head of Case Transfer and Carer Benefits Unit and Stephanie Virlogeux,Solicitor, Scottish Government .
6 Carer’s Allowance Supplement (Scotland) Bill (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 pre - budget scrutiny for 2022/23.