Minimum Income Guarantee Steering Group: expert group ways of working - August 2021 meeting paper

Purpose

This paper lays out a number of considerations for discussion and agreement with regards to the ways of working for the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) expert group.

Members should read through this in advance of 17 August, and consider any questions or contributions that may be helpful on the points made below.

Approach to work

The primary purpose of the MIG Steering Group is to define a MIG for Scotland and to identify and prioritise action for further development and testing during the course of this Parliament to support the delivery of a MIG within current devolved powers.

In order to support the aims of the MIG Steering Group, it is proposed that this expert group agrees that it will operate as a working group. As such, there will be an expectation for members to contribute to various pieces of work, and to undertake writing, research, analysis as required outside of meetings, to then be discussed and reviewed during when the expert group is assembled.

In order to this, the expert group may form sub-groups to take forward specific work strands as required. These work-streams may be led by members of the Group or by one or more individuals who are not members of the Group, but who have been invited by the Group to undertake or lead a specified programme of work.

Further to the terms laid out in the MIG Steering Group remit, it is suggested that the expert group meets once every two months. Sub-groups may wish to meeting more frequently than this as required, in order to progress their work strands.

The expert group notes in order to design a policy that can help to deliver a more equal and inclusive Scotland we must ensure that diverse voices are built into the Group’s membership and work. This will require the Group to recruit members who are experts by lived experience and to take steps to ensure that the membership of the Group is appropriately diverse and inclusive. It is suggested that the Group reviews its own membership on an annual basis in order to review success on this front.

Secretariat support will be provided by Scottish Government officials to the expert group, as well as any sub-groups that are formed.

Themes and phases of work for the group to consider

The expert group faces a significant challenge in considering the design and delivery of as complex and multifaceted a policy as MIG. As such, in order to allow the Group’s work to be taken forward in a manageable to strategic manner, it is proposed that a workplan is produced that details both themes and the proposed sequencing of work.

As such, we would welcome discussion on the following proposed themes of work, and for the Group to consider the order in which they should be approached.

• the scope/definition of what is meant by MIG
• how a Minimum Income Standard should be set for Scotland
• demographic and geographic considerations for potential variables in the level of a MIG for Scotland
• interaction with work and employment
• understanding and shaping public opinion on MIG
• step changes towards a MIG that can be accomplished using existing powers
• the use of current and future powers to deliver a MIG
• costing out a MIG for Scotland

Next meeting

It is proposed that the next meeting of the Expert Group take place in mid-October 2021, with an agenda to be agreed and shared before then.