Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Between Scottish Ministers (SM) and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (SSWP) on joint working arrangements

5. SPoC Role

5.1. To ensure the effectiveness of this MoU, including the wider communications arrangements, each party will appoint a named SPoC for matters of common interest. Respective SPoCs are named in Annex B. The role of this SPoC will extend to:

• Day to day management, review and update of this MoU; during this process the Annexes will be checked with respective owners to ensure they are current.
• Acting as the first (informal) point of escalation and dispute resolution; and
• Ensuring all requests for information, including disclosure of the same, are actioned in accordance with this MoU.

5.2. In cases where the SG lead is not clear, the Social Security Programme SPoC will act as an initial contact.

5.3. Where SPoCs are unavailable, alternative contacts must be used for any escalation that would normally fall to the SPoC. It is the responsibility of each SPoC to provide alternative contact details for any planned absence, where possible. As this is not always appropriate or possible, it is the responsibility of the Alternative SPoCs named in Annex B to be the SPoC or to provide a delegate to the other party.

5.4. In addition to the SPoCs role referred above, there is a further role of maintaining effective communications between the parties to facilitate productive and transparent relations, including by:

• managing the workings of existing senior level forums and
• informing each other of relevant administrative arrangements in their organisation which may impact on the other party's services/policy development and delivery.

This will primarily be carried out by the officials at Annex B.