Transparency data

Commission Meeting Minutes 19 May 2021

Updated 9 November 2021

Attendees: Commissioners

Sandra Wallace – Interim Co-chair)
Steven Cooper – Interim (Co-chair)
Alistair DaCosta
Harvey Matthewson
Jessica Oghenegweke
Sammy Wright

External Guests

Professor Anthony Heath
Professor Yaojun Li

Apologies

Saeed Atcha
Pippa Dunn
Sam Friedman
Farrah Storr
Jody Walker
Liz Williams

1. Introductions

1.1 Steven Cooper, Co-chair, chaired the first part of the meeting. The Co-chair began with a welcome and apologies and noted that Sandra Wallace, Co-chair, would join the meeting at 3.00pm. He then gave an overview of the agenda.

1.2 The Co-chair highlighted the Navigating the Labyrinth report publication on 20 May 2021 and thanked Sam Friedman and Secretariat staff for their work on the report. The Co-chair also gave particular thanks to the Secretariat’s chief analysis for her contribution to the work of the Commission.

2. State of the Nation update/discussion

2.1. Secretariat updated Commissioners on the progress made on the draft report since last month’s Commission meeting. Commissioner’s views were being sought on:

• the structure of the report especially on the introduction

• the narrative and key messages

• anything missing or that needed to be brought out more strongly

• any specific comments on the first draft of the full report

2.2 There was a discussion of the draft report. Commissioners were keen to include some of the recommendations from the monitoring report. The Director of the Secretariat noted the limited powers of the Commission within the devolved administrations. Secretariat would consider how to present the devolved nations powers more clearly.

2.3 Secretariat also set out the timeline for further engagement with Commissioners on the draft report.

2.4 Secretariat also communicated the quality assurance process for the report and the plan for engaging with government departments.

2.5 Secretariat provided Commissioners with a link to a Mural board and asked them to write down the key messages that they wanted included under each chapter of the report. Following this exercise, Commissioners discussed some of the messages put forward.

Actions:

• Secretariat to revisit the recommendations from the monitoring report to see what would be useful to include in the report

• Secretariat to arrange follow up conversations with Commissioners on specific topics

• co-chair to write to absent Commissioners to gather their input

• Secretariat to invite all Commissioners to the three drop-in sessions

• Secretariat to circulate a further draft of the report

3. Our long term (30 years) measurement framework

3.1. Secretariat introduced the item and highlighted that Commissioners feedback provided at last month’s meeting were incorporated into this latest draft. The focus of the session was to ensure that:

• Commissioner’s views on the long-term vision for a socially mobile society were captured correctly

• the revised proposals for the measurement framework reflected what Commissioner’s wanted

• identification of any further work needed to finalise the measurement framework

3.2 Professor Anthony Heath joined the meeting along with Professor Yaojun Li who was attending as an observer. Commissioners welcome them to the meeting and Professor Anthony Heath led the presentation.

3.3 Following the presentation, there was a discussion on the proposed long-term vision and measures. Key points noted were:

• Commissioners queried the proposed wording ‘Equality of opportunity is a fundamental principle of British society’ as a Commission long-term vision. In discussion, Professor Anthony Heath agreed that the wording was unclear and would review the wording

• Commissioners emphasised that they wanted a clear line drawn between what the drivers of change are and the outcomes that they can expect to change

• an explanation of the drivers of social mobility rather than a set of indicators should be published with the report

• Commissioners requested a high-level annual measurement framework and a five-year year measurement framework. Secretariat agreed to consider this further and discuss with the Co-Chairs

Actions:

• professor Anthony Heath to review the proposed wording of ‘Equality of opportunity is a fundamental principle of British society’

• Secretariat to consider further the data for a one-year measurement framework and 5 year deep dive and discuss further with the Co-chairs

3.4. Commissioners thanked Professor Anthony Heath and Professor Yaojun Li for presenting to the meeting and they left the meeting. Steven Cooper, Co-Chair also left the meeting and Sandra Wallace, Co-chair joined the meeting.

4. Race and ethnicity response

4.1 The Co-Chair set out the context and background to the agenda item and invited Secretariat to lead the discussion.

4.2 Secretariat outlined the options and potential content of a proposed response to the CRED report and sought Commissioners views. Commissioners were given a link to a Mural board with key questions and were asked to add their views under each question.

4.3 There was a discussion following completion of the Mural board. As a result of the discussion, the following action was agreed:

Action:

• pending further action, Secretariat would seek the views of those Commissioners who were unable to attend the meeting