Minutes: 28 October 2026

Wednesday, 28 October 2026

6th Meeting, 2026

Start time:09:33am

End time: 12:53pm

Location: Committee Room 5

Published: Wednesday, 28 October 2026

Committee Members Attendees:

Apologies received from:

Substitute Members Attendees:

Minutes

1. Declaration of interests:

The Convener welcomed Julie MacDougall, attending as a substitute for Thomas Kerr, and Fulton MacGregor, attending as a substitute for Steven Bonnar, and invited them to declare any relevant interests.

Julie MacDougall declared an interested as a sitting councillor for Fife Council.

Fulton MacGregor declared an interest as registered with the Scottish Social Services Council.

2. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take item 6 in private.

3. Child poverty stakeholder roundtable – evidence:

The Committee took evidence from—

Chris Birt, Associate Director for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Joseph Rowntree Foundation;

Justina Murray, Chief Executive, Aberlour Children's Charity;

Fiona King, Head of Policy, Research and Influencing, Save the Children;

Satwat Rehman, Chief Executive Officer, One Parent Families Scotland;

Peter Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, The Poverty Alliance;

Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick, Commissioner, Poverty and Inequality Commission.

4. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee considered the following negative instrument, the Council Tax Reduction (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2026. The Committee agreed to make no recommendations in relation to the instrument.

5. Child poverty stakeholder roundtable – consideration (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier under agenda item 2.

6. Pre-budget scrutiny – letter (in private):

The Committee considered a draft letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing regarding its scrutiny preceding the Scottish Government’s Budget 2027-28. Various changes were agreed to, and the Committee agreed to consider a revised draft at its next meeting.