Finance and Public Administration Committee
Inquiry into Public Administration - Effective Scottish Government decision-making
Background
Public Administration is a key part of the Committee’s remit and is best described as how the functions and systems of the Scottish Government work. The former First Minister explained that “For a sensible Government… transparency, good record-keeping and the ability to demonstrate the basis on which decisions are taken are as much in the interests of the Government as they are in the interests of those who are holding the Government to account.”
The Committee’s inquiry will therefore explore good practice in Government decision-making.
Committee Inquiry
Key areas that the Committee will seek to explore include:
- Transparency of the current approach
- Good practice in decision-making
- Roles and structure
- Process and scrutiny
- Information and analysis
- Recording and reviewing decision-making
For this inquiry the Committee’s main focus is the decision-making process within the ‘core’ Scottish Government, that is its Directorates, Ministers and Special Advisers.
Considering specific decisions by the Scottish Government or any individual cases is not part of this inquiry, nor will the Committee be specifically considering matters currently the subject of scrutiny by other parliamentary Committees.
Inquiry Remit
The Committee has agreed to undertake an inquiry to better understand the current policy decision-making process used by the Scottish Government.
The Committee will also seek to identify the skills and key principles necessary to support an effective government decision-making process.
The Committee is therefore seeking views on What are the key principles and best practice necessary to support effective government decision-making?
Committee Adviser Research Paper
To inform the inquiry, the Committee's adviser, Professor Paul Cairney, has produced a research paper, What is Effective Government? You can read Professor Cairney's paper here:
Research Paper: What is Effective Government? by Professor Paul Cairney (533KB, pdf) posted 10 March 2023
Engagement
Committee members have engaged with a range of former Ministers, former and current civil servants and former special advisers as part of this inquiry. Summaries of those discussions are provided below:
Summary note of 28 February 2023 discussions (113KB, pdf) posted 23 March 2023
Summary note of 14 March 2023 discussions (75KB, pdf) posted 23 March 2023
Summary note of 16 March 2023 discussions (88KB, pdf) posted 13 April 2023
Summary note of 21 March 2023 discussions (188KB, pdf) posted 13 April 2023
Oral Evidence
The Committee took evidence on the following dates:
Tuesday 16 May 2023
The Committee took evidence from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Permanent Secretary, Scottish Government.
Read the agenda, papers and Official Report (substantially verbatim transcript) for this meeting
Tuesday 9 May 2023
The Committee took evidence from the former Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and representatives from Wales Centre for Public Policy and University of Sheffield.
Read the agenda, papers and Official Report (substantially verbatim transcript) for this meeting
Tuesday 2 May 2023
The Committee took evidence from representatives from Children in Scotland, Engender, Royal Town Planning Institute Scotland and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.
Read the agenda, papers and Official Report (substantially verbatim transcript) for this meeting
Tuesday 25 April 2023
The Committee took evidence from representatives from the Institute for Government and Ulster University and then from representatives from Scottish Engineering and Scottish Financial Enterprise.
Read the agenda, papers and Official Report (substantially verbatim transcript) for this meeting
Tuesday 18 April 2023
The Committee took evidence from Diane Owenga, Programme Director, The Policy Project, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, New Zealand.
Read the agenda, papers and Official Report (substantially verbatim transcript) for this meeting
Diane Owenga produced the following presentation slides as part of her evidence session. Read the slides at the following link:
Presentation Slides by Diane Owenga for meeting on 18 April 2023 (1MB, pdf) posted 25 April 2023
Note on accessibility: We aim to make all of the information we publish fully accessible. However, when documents are provided by external organisations this is not always possible. If you need the document provided in an alternative format please contact the Clerk to the Committee. Further information is available on our accessibility statement.
Tuesday 28 March 2023
The Committee took evidence from representatives from Audit Scotland, Carnegie UK and the Fraser of Allander Institute.
Read the agenda, papers and Official Report (substantially verbatim transcript) for this meeting
Tuesday 14 March 2023
The Committee took evidence from Professor Paul Cairney, Committee Adviser and Professor of Politics and Public Policy, University of Stirling.
Read the agenda, papers and Official Report (substantially verbatim transcript) for this meeting
Committee Report
The Committee's report, Public Administration - Effective Scottish Government Decision-Making, was published on Monday 3 July 2023. You can read the report at the following link:
Your views
To inform this inquiry, the Committee sought views from organisations and individuals with experience, knowledge or views on what makes for effective decision-making processes particularly in relation to Government. The Scottish Government will also be approached directly.
The Committee particularly wanted to hear from:
- Academics
- Trade unions
- Schools of Government/Public Administration and training providers
- Former Ministers and Civil Servants
- Public Bodies, community groups; commissioners and ombudsman
The Committee welcomed responses to any of the following questions.
- What are key methodologies, processes and principles that should underpin an effective decision-making process in Government?
- What are the capabilities and skills necessary for civil servants to support effective decision making, and in what ways could these be developed further?
- What are the behaviours and culture that promote effective decision-making?
- What is best practice in relation to what information is recorded, by whom and how should it be used to support effective decision-making?
- What does effective decision-making by the Scottish Government ‘look like’ and how should it learn from what has worked well and not so well? Please share any best practice examples.
- To what extent should there be similarities or differences in the process for decision-making across the Scottish Government?
- What role should ‘critical challenge’ have in Government decision-making, when should it be used in the process and who should provide it?
- What is considered to be the most appropriate way of taking account of risk as part of effective Government decision-making?
- How can transparency of the decision-making process be improved?
- How can decisions by the Scottish Government be more effectively communicated with stakeholders?
Alongside written evidence, the Committee will also take oral evidence, appoint an advisor to support its work and undertake research; and carry out external engagement. The Committee’s views will be reported during 2023.
Written Submissions
The call for views closed on 7 February 2023. The Committee received 28 submissions to its call for views. Read the submissions received at the following link:
SPICe Summary of Evidence
The Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) has produced a summary of the written submissions received to the Committee's call for views. Read the summary at the following link: