Commission Meeting Minutes 16 March 2021
Updated 9 November 2021
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Attendees
Commissioners
Sandra Wallace (Interim Co-chair)
Steven Cooper (Interim Co-chair)
Saeed Atcha
Pippa Dunn
Sam Friedman
Jessica Oghenegweke
Farrah Storr
Jody Walker
Liz Williams
Sammy Wright
Apologies
Alistair Da Costa
Harvey Matthewson
1. The Co-chairs and Commissioners spent the first 30 mins of the meeting in a closed session.
2. Introduction
2.1 The Co-chairs began with a welcome and apologies.
2.2 Melis Agerbak, who recently joined Secretariat’s evidence team was welcomed to the meeting. Melis was shadowing the meeting.
2.3 The Co-chairs provided feedback on; their 3 March 2021 meeting with Liz Truss, Minister for Women and Equalities and on their 15 March 2021 meeting with Kemi Badenoch, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and Minister for Equalities.
3. Presentation: State of the Nation statistics
3.1 Secretariat highlighted the State of the Nation statistics and Commissioners were given early sight of the evidence, to allow them to think about some of the messages the Commission may want to land in the statutory report.
3.2 Secretariat presented the early findings on the updated overall statistics on social mobility in the UK and outlined the big picture on what else we would expect to see included in the statistics.
3.3 Commissioner’s confirmed that they would like a further presentation as the work developed.
Action: Secretariat to schedule a further session on statistics on completion of the work
4. Education policy priorities update
4.1 Sammy recapped on the work that the Commission has been doing on 2021 exams and education catch-up. He noted the Commission’s statement and recommendations to the Department for Education for extra support for students from lower socio- economic backgrounds.
4.2 Commissioners discussed to what extend the Department for Education had taken on board the Commission’s advice.
5. Forward Look through to November
5.1 Secretariat summarised the Commission’s work plan through to the autumn term and reminded Commissioners of the move to Cabinet Office on 1 April 2021.
5.2 The Co-chairs acknowledged the great work the Secretariat were doing and prompted Commissioners to follow up on their closed session conversation with a 1-1 meeting with the Secretariat Director.
Action: Commissioners to schedule time with the Director, Secretariat