Finance and Public Administration Committee
Updated procedure for handling formal complaints
Letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for COVID Recovery to the Convener of 13 January 2022
Dear Kenneth
On 21 December I wrote to you advising that the Scottish Government would be able to share the updated procedure for handling formal complaints by civil servants about a Minister’s or a former Minister’s behaviour and the progress on the implementation plan with the Finance and Public Administration Committee in early 2022.
I am grateful for your understanding of my request for a short extension and I am pleased to attach the following documents today:
- The updated Procedure for handling formal complaints by civil servants about a Minister’s or a former Minister’s behaviour
- Progress on the implementation plan as set out in the annex of the Scottish Government’s response to the reports by Laura Dunlop QC, James Hamilton, Independent Adviser on the Scottish Ministerial Code, and the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints.
I would wish the Committee to note that there will be a short period of time before the procedure is enacted to have further engagement with trade unions, staff, Ministers and with Parliament before it comes into operation in February 2022. This will allow me to consider representations from the Committee when I am scheduled to give evidence to the Committee on 25th January.
I also wish the Committee to note that the implementation plan progress includes a broader continuous improvement programme setting out the activities that the Scottish Government will develop in 2022 to ensure that the updated complaints procedure is not seen in isolation but is set within a wider context that fosters a culture of openness and inclusion.
I look forward to the subsequent discussions with you and the Committee.
John Swinney
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Annexe A
Annexe A: Final Draft Procedure
Annexe B
Annexe B: Implementation Plan - Continuous Improvement Programme