Employment Injury Assistance Steering Group minutes: May 2026

Attendees and apologies

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

Apologies 

• Rachel Thomson, Equality Officer, Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC)
• Ian MacCorquodale, Welfare Rights Manager, Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA) 
• Anna Ritchie-Allan, Executive Director, Close the Gap 
• Professor Ewan Macdonald OBE, Consultant Occupational Physician

Scottish Government officials present

• Matthew Duff, Social Security Policy
• Shelley Smith, Social Security Policy
• Daniel Rennie, Social Security Policy
• Daniel Birrell, Social Security Policy

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

Co-Chairs welcomed members to the eighth meeting of the Employment Injury Assistance (EIA) Steering Group.

Approval of minutes from last meeting and update of work by Co-Chairs and officials to date

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

Members noted the minutes from the International Comparison sub-group.

Members agreed there would be value in the International Comparison sub-group continuing for two further sessions, with a view of reporting back to the wider group. 

Co-Chair Elma Murray provided the group with an overview of points raised from the International Comparison sub-group meeting. Officials provided an update on the outstanding action points, including that no further information was able to be identified in relation to the Spanish system not having legal requisite that certain workers are more likely to be exposed than others. 

Officials updated the group about discussions on the lived experience engagement to date. It was agreed that these sessions have been invaluable and a note of the sessions will be circulated ahead of the next meeting. 

Co-Chair Elma Murray advised there is a reliance on organisations such as Action on Asbestos and Clydebank Asbestos Group to help people apply for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB). Members discussed inconsistencies across Scotland with access to advice and signposting, including wider access to occupational health services. It was noted that not all organisations providing support to access benefits have capacity and sufficient funding.

The group also discussed inconsistences across NHS Health Boards in access to specialist nurses who often signpost to support services. The Advice in Accessible Settings fund was discussed which enables advice in health, education and community settings with a focus on increasing accessibility for disabled people accessing advice. 

Members asked about access to social security and the knowledge of welfare advisers in more rural areas such as the Highlands and Islands. Members agreed that this is potentially lacking and more work is needed to widen access to social security in remote areas. The group noted that the Local Delivery service from Social Security Scotland has helped provide support this but there are still inconsistencies in equitable access to support across Scotland.

The group raised concerns that people with certain occupational illnesses, including non-asbestos related diseases, lack specific support or advocacy and that work needs to be done to increase support for these groups. 

The disparity between terminal and non-terminal illnesses was raised. Terminal illness cases are often prioritised by support organisations while long term chronic conditions appear less well served.

Members discussed panels for future meetings similar to those previously undertaken with solicitors. It was agreed that two separate panels should be set up – one with employers and one with trade union representatives.

Officials updated the group on a meeting with Public Health Scotland about a discussion on Healthy Working Lives (HWL). Officials advised the group about the services HWL provides, the limited funding and the resulting impact this has on the delivery of HWL. 

The UK Government equivalent of HWL, Keep Britain Working, was discussed. The group expressed a keen interest to know more about the similarities and differences between the two programmes, but not enough is known about Keep Britain Working at the moment. Officials said they would look into this and report back to the group once they know more. 

The closure of the HWL advice line was discussed. The group noted it would require a substantial financial commitment to reintroduce it.

Emerging recommendations

he group expressed interest in more research on international models where the doubling of risk is not required to be proved.

The group asked if there as any budget for policy research to demonstrate discrimination based on gender. Officials noted that a case would have to be made and committed to getting back to the wider group.

The use of PhD university students as a research function was raised for future consideration.

EIA Steering Group Extension request

Members agreed to request an extension until Spring 2027. This is to ensure time for further engagement with experts and people with lived experience of the current Scheme as well as further work to address gaps in research and evidence.

Officials explained that there is a process of writing to the Cabinet Secretary to request a formal extension.

Any other business and next meeting

The next meeting will be held on 6 July 2026 at Social Security Scotland’s High Street office in Glasgow and online.

Co-Chairs thanked members for their time and closed the meeting.

Actions

• organise the next meeting of the International Comparison sub-group
• invite identified employers to the next meeting of the EIA Steering Group
• invite identified trade union representatives to a future meeting of the EIA Steering Group
• officials to gather more information on Keep Britain Working and report back to the group in due course
• provide an update if there is a budget available to commission research
• provide officials with contacts for the employer panel at the next meeting
• co-chairs to write to the Cabinet Secretary to request formal extension of 9 months for the group