Employment Injury Assistance Steering Group minutes: August 2026

Attendees and apologies

• Co-Chair: Tressa Burke, CEO, Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA)
• Co-Chair: Elma Murray CBE, Chair, Young Scot
• Ian MacCorquodale, Welfare Rights Manager, Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA)
• Sholen Macpherson, Policy and Research Officer, Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER)
• Professor Ewan Macdonald OBE, Consultant Occupational Physician
• Dr David Haldane, Consultant Occupational Physician, Faculty of Occupational Medicine Scotland
• Moira Escreet, Welfare Rights Officer, Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG)
• Rachel Gallagher, Clydebank Asbestos Group
• Phyllis Craig, Director, Action on Asbestos

Apologies

• Ian Tasker, CEO, Scottish Hazards
• Anna Ritchie-Allan, Executive Director, Close the Gap
• Rachel Thomson, Equality Officer, Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC)

Scottish Government officials present

• Matthew Duff, Social Security Policy 
• Risga Summers, Social Security Policy 
• Shelley Smith, Social Security Policy
• Catherine Reeves, Social Security Policy 
• Daniel Birrell, Social Security Policy
• Oonagh Fraser, Social Security Analysis, Forecasting and Evaluation

Items and actions

Welcome and Introductions

The Co-Chairs welcomed members to the tenth meeting of the Employment Injury Assistance Steering Group.

Approval of minutes from last meeting and update on recent work 

Members approved the minutes from the previous meeting and agreed to their publication on the Scottish Government web page for the Group.

Officials updated the Group on the progress of the action log.

Officials updated the Group on plans for a panel with union representatives which is scheduled for the next meeting. 

The Co-Chairs updated the Group on the second meeting of the International Comparison Sub-Group and noted that no future meetings of this Group are planned.
 
The Group discussed the possibility of an “open” system used elsewhere in the world where each application is considered on an individual basis. The Group confirmed that a wholesale adoption of an open system would be too at odds with the current Scheme and would not be workable in Scotland. However, it did express an interest in more detailed research into the systems in France, New Zealand, Germany and Spain. It was agreed that work carried out on international comparisons should be referenced in the final report..  

The Group discussed positive examples of rehabilitative care in other countries. It was noted that further consideration could be given to whether rehabilitation costs could be paid for by National Insurance contributions, acknowledging that this is currently reserved.

The Co-Chairs updated the Group on the first meeting of the Occupational Health sub-group. The Group agreed that the minutes from the first meeting of this sub-group should be published online.

Members asked whether it would be possible to get figures on the cost to the Scottish economy of occupational poor health. Officials agreed to provide what they could on this at a future meeting and seek to incorporate relevant drafting to the draft emerging recommendations paper.

Extension request update and discussion

Officials provided an update that the Cabinet Secretary has accepted their request for an extension and expressed an interest in the specific conditions and occupations the Group is considering, as well as their work on prevention.

Officials provided an overview of the Scottish Government’s Public Reform Strategy and noted that they will share the strategy with the Group.

The Group discussed ways of aligning their work and framing the final report with the Scottish Government’s priorities. It also discussed the possibility of notifying the Health and Safety Executive when an award of EIA is made, which could then inform enforcement or monitoring activity. It was noted that this could align with the Scottish Government’s commitment to improving public services while making them more efficient and better joined-up. 

The Group noted stakeholder interest in Sir Stephen Timms’ Review of Personal Independence Payment. Officials agreed to present an overview on the conclusions from the interim report at the next meeting. 

Research Paper

Officials gave an overview of the paper provided on research options. Officials requested that the Group reach a consensus in relation to what research should be taken forward as a priority.

The Group discussed their priorities for the research and ways it could meaningfully add to the existing evidence base. Discussion focused on how the research could provide a stronger evidence base for potential recommendations on addressing equalities issues. Further suggestions included a social return on investment study and interviews with different groups.

There was consensus that research should provide the Group with a better understanding of the existing caseload, barriers to applying, and structural issues which prevent certain groups, particularly women and black and ethnic minority groups, from accessing support. It was agreed that a rapid evidence or literature review would be most appropriate given the limited time available. The research would also seek to summarise evidence gaps.

Separately, members noted that case studies to support anecdotal evidence produced by focus groups would be useful, but that compiling these could be carried out by group members and officials rather than being commissioned for another organisation to complete. Officials agreed to write up a research proposal with the help of Scottish Government analysts based on the discussion and priorities expressed to date, and seek final agreement at the next meeting.

AOB and agreed date for next meeting

The date of the next meeting was agreed for 7 September at the Social Security Scotland office in Glasgow.

The Group discussed the role of the Scottish Commission for Social Security (SCoSS) and its potential future interaction with a scientific statutory council. The Group agreed to discuss this in more detail at a future meeting and are keen to explore inviting the chair of SCoSS to speak to the Group. 

Actions

• To prepare a research proposal for the Group to sign off at the next meeting.
• To update the action log
• To update and publish Occupational Health Sub-Group minutes
• To provide an update on the available evidence on the estimated cost to the Scottish economy of occupational ill-health
• To provide an overview of the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment interim report at next meeting 
• To share the Public Service Reform strategy document with the Group
• To explore inviting the chair of SCoSS to a future meeting of the Group
• To continue to develop emerging recommendations, adding drafting on self-employment and the cost of occupational health to the Scottish economy