Poverty and Inequality Commission: framework document

The Poverty and Inequality Commission (‘the Commission’) is an independent advisory Non-Departmental Public Body (“NDPB”), created in order to support Scottish Ministers and others to reduce levels of poverty and inequality in Scotland. The Commission was established on 1 July 2019 as per section 8 of the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 (“the Act”).

The Commission will achieve its purpose through providing solution focused advice to Scottish Ministers and others, holding Scottish Ministers to account through effective scrutiny and undertaking an advocacy role as necessary to promote the reduction of poverty and inequality in Scotland.

The Act sets out a key role for the Commission to provide advice and scrutiny to Scottish Ministers to support them in achieving the ambitious targets set to reduce levels of child poverty in Scotland by 2030.

The Commission’s statutory functions, under the Act, are to:

• advise the Scottish Ministers on any matter relating to poverty or inequality in Scotland, including the impact of their policies and use of resources in reducing such poverty and inequality;
• monitor progress in reducing poverty and inequality in Scotland;
• promote the reduction of poverty and inequality in Scotland;
• provide advice to Ministers on the measures they propose to include in Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plans;
• provide annual comment on progress made towards the targets set out in the Act, whether progress is sufficient and what further progress is required;
• publish any advice it provides to the Scottish Ministers.

The Commission may do the following things as it considers appropriate for the performance of its functions, including in particular:

• gathering evidence;
• carrying out research;
• preparing and publishing such reports as it considers appropriate.

The statutory duties above provide a framework for the Commission’s functions, however, the Commission itself has freedom to choose areas of focus within the scope of this broader remit.

The Commission will consider whether their work plan can accommodate ad-hoc requests made by Scottish Ministers.