Transparency data

Commission Meeting Minutes 22 September 2021

Updated 9 November 2021

Attendees

Commissioners

Sandra Wallace (Interim Co-chair)
Steven Cooper (Interim Co-chair)
Saeed Atcha
Alastair DaCosta
Sam Friedman
Pippa Dunn
Harvey Matthewson
Jessica Oghenegweke
Liz Williams
Sammy Wright

Apologies

Farrah Storr
Jody Walker

Welcome

1.1 The Co-chairs began with a welcome. They announced that it was the final meeting with current Commissioners as their appointments come to an end on 31 October 2021. The Co-chairs acknowledged the achievements of the Commissioners during their three-year tenure. The Co-chairs then gave an overview of the agenda.

1.2 Sasha Morgan, Director of Secretariat, recapped on the Commissioners’ advocacy journey and thanked them for their work and their support of the secretariat.

1.3 Commissioners thanked the Co-chairs for their leadership of the Commission over the last 14 months.

State of the Nation Advocacy

2.1 A member of the secretariat led a discussion on the Commission’s stakeholder engagement activities following the publication of the State of the Nation 2021 report and gave an assessment of the impact of the report. They outlined the further advocacy and parliamentary work that was planned through to the end of the Commissioners term and sought their feedback.

2.2 Sam highlighted Andy Haldane’s new role as Permanent Secretary of the new Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Department and his engagement on the agenda.

2.3 Liz stated that she had reached out to Andy Haldane on the relationship between digital and levelling up. The Commission’s digital report which is due to be published in October would give us the opportunity to engage with him. Sasha Morgan proposed a meeting with some of the Commissioners and Andy Haldane. Commissioners agreed that the secretariat should take this forward.

2.4 Sam shared his views from the Northern Ireland roundtable on 21 September and noted that the focus on Northern Ireland was generally welcomed.

2.5 Alastair gave some feedback from the Wales roundtable discussion. He said about how in Wales, there is legislation that requires public bodies to consider socio-economic inequalities when making decisions. Wales officials’ views were that digital investment went well but they were concerned that social mobility was being overlooked.

2.6 Pippa gave some headlines from the Scotland roundtable. They questioned social mobility as a concept and construct and felt that social mobility should be incorporated into existing policies rather than develop a separate policy. There was much discussion about how difficult it is to advance social mobility without some structural change. There is a big role for employers to play.

2.7 The Secretariat proposed following up with one to one discussions with Commissioners.

Action

• Secretariat to arrange a meeting between Andy Haldane and Commissioners
• Secretariat to arrange one-to-one discussions with Commissioners

Upcoming Publications

3.1 Commissioners received a presentation from the secretariat on the progress of the upcoming research reports. The presentation covered each report’s key findings and the plans for publishing reports. Eight reports are scheduled to be published by 31 October 2021.

3.2 There was a discussion about the title of Social Mobility Index 2.0. Sandra Wallace commented that the title did not capture the longevity of the research report.

3.3 Sam Friedman commented that when the report became a set of measures that were monitored regularly, naming it an index was correct. However, it would be useful to retain the long-term theory of change narrative. The Commission should be clear in its messaging as to why the Commission has produced the report. Following discussion, Commissioners recommended the secretariat consider the title further.

3.4 Alastair raised a question about whether this Commission was leaving a closing narrative for the next Commission. His view was that the reports published under their tenure, and the Social Mobility Index 2.0, are this Commission’s legacy and the Commission should be making a closing statement.

3.5 Sasha Morgan stated that there was an argument that the State of the Nation acted as the Commission’s closing statement.

3.6 In discussion, the Commissioners agreed that the Commission should develop a closing statement.

3.7 Liz Williams queried whether the digital careers platform report findings were symptomatic of digital or careers issues or whether there was a relationship. She highlighted that young people who didn’t have digital access or digital confidence were much less likely to engage with such platforms.

3.8 A member of the secretariat emphasised that the research trials had taken place within schools at a time when students worked onsite and on computers. It wasn’t a question of students logging on in their own time to interact with the website. The secretariat also worked with the platforms to redesign their presentation but there were limitations on how much redesign could be made.

Action

• the secretariat to review the title of Social Mobility Index 2.0
• work would progress on a Commissioner closing narrative

Stakeholder Engagement and Employers Programme

4.1 The secretariat provided Commissioners with an update on its stakeholder engagement and Employers programme.

4.2 The secretariat noted the refresh of their stakeholder mapping and the enormous amount of work that had taken place over the last two months. Though the main focus was on the State of the Nation 2021 report, they had been engagement right across the agenda and particularly on Navigating the Labyrinth report.

4.3 Engagement on Navigating the Labyrinth report has been driven by the Cabinet Office Inclusion team who were considering issuing a checklist to departments to find out how they were responding to the recommendations.

4.4 The secretariat was also refreshing its Parliamentary strategy and continuing to build on the work of the Social Mobility Working Group. The secretariat were also taking advantage of reactive opportunities to feed into policies as they develop.

4.5 Sam Friedman sought clarification on whether the Commission’s reflection to the CRED report had been circulated. Sasha Morgan responded that the secretariat would re-circulate the reflection to the CRED report to all Commissioners.

Action

• Secretariat to re-circulate the Commission’s reflection to CRED report to all Commissioners

4.6 On the Employers programme, the secretariat highlighted some of their key focus over the coming month including: changes that were made to the microsite, the next series of masterclasses that were arranged through to the end of October and the Commissioners engagement in the sector-specific toolkit launches.