Joint Statement from the Independent Scottish Parliamentary Officeholders

31 October 2024

The following statement from the Scottish Independent Parliamentary Officeholders is made in response to the report of the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee on Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape.

The seven Parliamentary Officeholders are the Standards Commission for Scotland, Scottish Information Commissioner, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland, Scottish Human Rights Commission, Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland and Scottish Biometrics Commissioner.

Collectively they are accountable for a budget of less than £15 million, approximately 0.03% (a thirtieth of one percent) of the Scottish Consolidated Fund.

“As the Independent Scottish Parliamentary Officeholders, we welcome the report of the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee on Scotland’s Commissioner Landscape.

"We welcome the opportunity to engage in further discussions with Parliament where we see an opportunity to demonstrate the value that our offices bring to Scottish public life, with comparatively minimal cost to the public purse.

"At a time when rights are most at risk, budgets are reducing, public services are struggling to address need and public dissatisfaction is at its greatest, it is a further opportunity to remind Parliament of our country’s domestic and international commitments and obligations to the people of Scotland.

"We hope Parliament can be reassured by the ongoing collaborative working across our functions and the commitment to share corporate and functional resources. Importantly, we would aim to inform an understanding on the extent to which additional cuts to funding may preclude the Officeholders from acquitting the statutory functions that they were established by the Scottish Parliament to fulfil.

"We also see scope to align and streamline aspects of our funding; in particular, we recognise the opportunity for Parliament to review the disproportionate administrative and financial requirements arising from external audit and financial reporting, which follows the same one size fits all approach as public bodies 100 times larger.

"The legislative powers to reform and improve the Parliamentary Officer Holder landscape sits with the Scottish Parliament, not just Scottish Ministers and the Officeholders are eager to engage, to inform and shape any future discussions in a reflective and constructive way.”

Signed
David Hamilton, Scottish Information Commissioner
Ian Bruce, Ethical Standards Commissioner for Scotland
Suzanne Vestri, Standards Commission’s Convener
Brian Plastow, Scottish Biometrics Commissioner
Professor Angela O’Hagan, Chair, Scottish Human Rights Commission
Nicola Killean, Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland
Rosemary Agnew, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman