Poverty body’s new chairman and members approved by committee after resignations

A new chairman and members of an advisory commission on poverty have been approved by a Holyrood committee, following a series of resignations from the body last year.

The Scottish Parliament’s Social Justice Committee approved the appointment of Professor Stephen Sinclair as chairman of the Poverty and Inequality Commission.

He took over as interim chairman following the resignation of Bill Scott on health grounds in September last year.

Mr Scott’s departure came days after three other members quit the independent statutory body, which advises the Scottish Government on poverty.

MSPs on the committee also approved a number of other appointments to the commission during a meeting on Thursday.

These were Peter Cawston, Kim Dams, Taliah Drayak, Paul Fletcher, Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick, Louise Hunter, Ross McQueenie and Rami Okasha.

The MSPs praised the diversity of skills and experience among the new members of the commission.

However committee member Roz McCall noted Prof Sinclair has said there is “serious work to do” considering the Government’s child poverty delivery plan must be updated in the next two years.

The approval of the new members must also be confirmed by the Scottish Parliament overall.

This will take place on Thursday May 9.

In September last year Linda Bamford, Shona Stephen and deputy chair Lindsay Graham resigned from the Poverty and Inequality Commission using matching letters.

The commissioners said they had been re-nominated for appointment by Mr Scott without their knowledge, resulting in a “loss of confidence and trust” in him.

Within days, Mr Scott also stepped down from his role, citing health reasons.

A review was carried out by the Scottish Government which found there had been an “unprecedented breakdown in communications” among the commission.

However it did not blame any individual or team, saying there had been an “unfortunate convergence of a series of events”.