Scottish public bodies
Encyclopedia
Public bodies of the Scottish Government are organisations that are funded by the Scottish Government. It includes executive
and advisory
non-departmental public bodies
("quangoes
"); tribunals; and nationalised industries.
These public bodies are distinct from executive agencies of the Scottish Government, as they are not considered to be part of the Government and staff of public bodies are not civil servants.
is responsible for regulating the process.
Public bodies are assigned "sponsoring departments" who provide funding in the form of grant-in-aid
to assist with running costs and capital investment. Most public bodies also have other sources of income (for example the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
receives income from charging the public to visit the greenhouses in its gardens).
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
and advisory
Advice (opinion)
Advice is a form of relating personal or institutional opinions, belief systems, values, recommendations or guidance about certain situations relayed in some context to another person, group or party often offered as a guide to action and/or conduct...
non-departmental public bodies
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
("quangoes
Quango
Quango or qango is an acronym used notably in the United Kingdom, Ireland and elsewhere to label an organisation to which government has devolved power...
"); tribunals; and nationalised industries.
These public bodies are distinct from executive agencies of the Scottish Government, as they are not considered to be part of the Government and staff of public bodies are not civil servants.
Governance
The Scottish Government is responsible for appointing a board of directors to run public bodies. The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in ScotlandOffice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland regulates and monitors the way in which ministerial appointments are made to the boards of public bodies in Scotland...
is responsible for regulating the process.
Public bodies are assigned "sponsoring departments" who provide funding in the form of grant-in-aid
Grant-in-aid
A grant-in-aid is money coming from central government for a specific project. This kind of funding is usually used when the government and parliament have decided that the recipient should be publicly funded but operate with reasonable independence from the state.In the United Kingdom, most bodies...
to assist with running costs and capital investment. Most public bodies also have other sources of income (for example the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation, as well as a popular tourist attraction. Originally founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, today it occupies four sites across Scotland — Edinburgh,...
receives income from charging the public to visit the greenhouses in its gardens).
Executive NDPBs
- Accounts Commission for Scotland
- Architecture and Design Scotland (replaced the Royal Fine Art Commission for ScotlandRoyal Fine Art Commission for ScotlandThe Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland was a Scottish public body.It was appointed in 1927 "to enquire into such questions of public amenity or of artistic importance relating to Scotland as may be referred to them by any of our Departments of State and to report thereon to such Departments;...
in 2005) - Bòrd Gàidhlig na h-Alba
- Cairngorms National Park Authority
- Creative ScotlandCreative ScotlandCreative Scotland is a development body for arts and cultural industries in Scotland. It inherited the functions of Scottish Screen and the Scottish Arts Council on 1 July 2010, and has an additional remit for the Creative Industries...
- Crofters Commission
- Deer Commission for ScotlandDeer Commission for ScotlandThe Deer Commission for Scotland was an executive non-departmental body of the Scottish Government. It was responsible for the conservation, control and sustainable management of all species of wild deer in Scotland. It also acted as the Government's advisor on deer related matters.The Commission...
(abolished 2010, functions transferred to Scottish Natural HeritageScottish Natural HeritageScottish Natural Heritage is a Scottish public body. It is responsible for Scotland's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e...
) - Highlands & Islands Enterprise
- Learning & Teaching Scotland
- The Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority
- National Galleries of ScotlandNational Galleries of ScotlandThe National Galleries of Scotland are the five national galleries of Scotland and two partner galleries. It is one of the country's National Collections.-List of national galleries:* The National Gallery of Scotland* The Royal Scottish Academy Building...
- National Library of ScotlandNational Library of ScotlandThe National Library of Scotland is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is one of the country's National Collections. It is based in a collection of buildings in Edinburgh city centre. The headquarters is on George IV Bridge, between the Old Town and the university quarter...
- National Museums of ScotlandNational Museums of ScotlandNational Museums Scotland is the organization that runs several national museums of Scotland. It is one of the country's National Collections, and holds internationally important collections of natural sciences, decorative arts, world cultures, science and technology, and Scottish history and...
- Police Complaints Commission for Scotland
- Quality Meat Scotland
- Risk Management AuthorityRisk Management AuthorityThe Risk Management Authority is a Scottish public body, established by the Criminal Justice Act 2003. Its functions relate to the risk assessment of offenders whose liberty presents a risk to the public at large and minimising risk in respect of a small number of serious violent and sexual...
- Royal Botanic Garden EdinburghRoyal Botanic Garden EdinburghThe Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation, as well as a popular tourist attraction. Originally founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, today it occupies four sites across Scotland — Edinburgh,...
- Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandRoyal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of ScotlandThe Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government 'sponsored' [financed and with oversight] through Historic Scotland, an executive agency of the Scottish Government...
- Scottish Agricultural Wages Board
- Scottish Arts CouncilScottish Arts CouncilThe Scottish Arts Council is a Scottish public body that distributes funding from the Scottish Government, and is the leading national organisation for the funding, development and promotion of the arts in Scotland...
(abolished, now Creative ScotlandCreative ScotlandCreative Scotland is a development body for arts and cultural industries in Scotland. It inherited the functions of Scottish Screen and the Scottish Arts Council on 1 July 2010, and has an additional remit for the Creative Industries...
) - Scottish Children's Reporter AdministrationScottish Children's Reporter AdministrationThe Scottish Children's Reporter Administration is a Scottish Government executive non-departmental public body with responsibility for protecting children at risk...
- Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care
- Scottish Criminal Cases Review CommissionScottish Criminal Cases Review CommissionThe Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission is a non-departmental public body in Scotland, established by the Criminal Procedure Act 1995 ....
- Scottish EnterpriseScottish EnterpriseScottish Enterprise is a sponsored non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government which encourages economic development, enterprise, innovation and investment in business...
- Scottish Environment Protection AgencyScottish Environment Protection AgencyThe Scottish Environment Protection Agency is Scotland’s environmental regulator. Its main role is to protect and improve Scotland's environment...
- Scottish Funding CouncilScottish Funding CouncilThe Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council, more commonly known as the Scottish Funding Council , is the body in Scotland that distributes funding from the Scottish Government to the country's colleges and universities...
- Scottish Legal Aid BoardScottish Legal Aid BoardThe Scottish Legal Aid Board is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government, responsible for managing legal aid in Scotland...
- Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
- Scottish Natural HeritageScottish Natural HeritageScottish Natural Heritage is a Scottish public body. It is responsible for Scotland's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e...
- Scottish Police Services AuthorityScottish Police Services AuthorityThe Scottish Police Services Authority is a Scottish public body of the Scottish Government responsible for certain central services for police forces in Scotland. It was established on the 1 April 2007, following the passing of the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice Act 2006...
- Scottish Qualifications AuthorityScottish Qualifications AuthorityThe Scottish Qualifications Authority is a non-departmental public body responsible for accreditation and awarding. It is partly funded by the Education and Lifelong Learning Directorate of the Scottish Government, employing 750 staff, based in Glasgow and Dalkeith...
- Scottish ScreenScottish ScreenScottish Screen is the national body for film and television in Scotland, established in April 1997. It took on the functions of the Scottish Film Council, the Scottish Film Production Fund, Scottish Screen Locations and Scottish Broadcast and Film Training, forming a unitary organisation.Scottish...
(now Creative ScotlandCreative ScotlandCreative Scotland is a development body for arts and cultural industries in Scotland. It inherited the functions of Scottish Screen and the Scottish Arts Council on 1 July 2010, and has an additional remit for the Creative Industries...
) - Scottish Social Services CouncilScottish Social Services CouncilThe Scottish Social Services Council is responsible for raising standards in the Scottish social service workforce.The Scottish Social Services Council was established in October 2001 by the Regulation of Care Act and is responsible for registering people who work in the social services and...
- Skills Development ScotlandSkills Development ScotlandSkills Development Scotland is Scotland's skills public body which operates across Scotland as a whole.-History:Created on 1 April 2008, SDS is a merger of former organisations and services which delivered skills related services across Scotland....
- sportscotlandSportscotlandSportscotland , formerly the Scottish Sports Council, is the national agency for sport in Scotland. Their stated aim is to help everyone in Scotland enjoy sport's many benefits....
- VisitscotlandVisitScotlandVisitScotland is Scotland's national tourism agency. It is a public body, with offices in Edinburgh, Inverness, London as well as other parts of Scotland...
- Water Industry Commission for Scotland
Advisory NDPBs
- Advisory Committee on Sites of Special Scientific Interest (abolished)
- Building Standards Advisory Committee (abolished)
- Fisheries (Electricity) Committee
- General Teaching Council for ScotlandGeneral Teaching Council for ScotlandThe General Teaching Council for Scotland is a Scottish public body. It is the professional regulatory body for teachers in Scotland....
- Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland (abolished)
- Judicial Appointments Board for ScotlandJudicial Appointments Board for ScotlandThe Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland is public body responsible for making recommendations on appointments to judicial offices in Scotland...
- Local Government Boundary Commission for ScotlandLocal Government Boundary Commission for ScotlandThe Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland is an independent body in Scotland created under the Local Government Act 1973...
- Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland
- Public Transport Users Committee for Scotland
- Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards
- Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board
- Scottish Law CommissionScottish Law CommissionThe Scottish Law Commission is Scottish advisory public body established by Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1965 to keep the law of Scotland under review and recommend necessary reforms to improve, simplify and update Scots law. It plays a leading role in developing the law for the people of...
- Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee
Tribunals
- Additional Support Needs Tribunal for Scotland
- Bus Users Complaint Tribunal
- Children's Panel
- Lands Tribunal for ScotlandLands Tribunal for ScotlandThe Lands Tribunal for Scotland is a civil court with jurisdiction over certain matters relating to land and property in Scotland. The Tribunal was established under the Lands Tribunal Act 1949, which also created the separate Lands Tribunal in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.Although the...
- Mental Health Tribunal for ScotlandMental Health Tribunal for ScotlandThe Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland was set up by the Scottish Executive to hear applications for, and appeals against, Compulsory Treatment Orders, and appeals against Short Term Detention Certificates made under the Mental Health Act 2003, and other matters in relation to that Act, for...
- Parole Board for Scotland
- Private Rented Housing Panel for Scotland
- Scottish Charity Appeals Panel
Public corporations
- Caledonian MacBrayneCaledonian MacBrayneCaledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
- Highlands and Islands Airports
- Scottish Futures TrustScottish Futures TrustThe Scottish Futures Trust is a government-owned company, set up by the Scottish Government in September 2008, to improve public infrastructure investment in the hope of saving £100 - £150 million each year when fully operational...
- Scottish WaterScottish WaterScottish Water is a statutory corporation in Scotland that provides water and sewerage services. Unlike in England and Wales, water and sewerage provision in Scotland continues as a public corporation accountable to the public through the Scottish Government....
Other Significant Bodies
- Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland
- Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland