Public Audit Committee
The 2020/21 audit of National Records of Scotland
Background
On 30 November 2021, the Auditor General for Scotland published the 2020/21 audit of National Records of Scotland.
The report says:
"In July 2020, Scottish Ministers decided to delay the next census from March 2021 to March 2022. This decision has had a significant impact on NRS’s financial plans. Overall lifetime costs for the census programme have increased by £21.6 million (18 per cent) due to the delay, from a pre-pandemic forecast of £117 million. The Scottish Government has committed to provide funding to cover this increase."
Read the report on Audit Scotland's website
Information about the Public Audit Committee's consideration of the report can be found below.
Meetings
9 December 2021
The Committee took evidence from:
Stephen Boyle, the Auditor General for Scotland; Graeme Samson, Senior Auditor, Asif Haseeb, Senior Manager, Audit Services; and Dharshi Santhakumaran, Correspondence Manager, Performance Audit and Best Value, Audit Scotland.
Read the agenda and meeting papers, 9 December 2021
Read the Official Report, 9 December 2021
Read the meeting minutes from 9 December 2021
Action: The Committee agreed to take evidence from the National Records of Scotland at a future meeting.
20 January 2022
The Committee took evidence from:
Paul Lowe, Registrar General for Scotland and Keeper of the Records of Scotland; Linda Sinclair, Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer; Peter Whitehouse, Director of Statistical Services; and Anne Slater, Director of Operations and Customer Services, National Records of Scotland.
Followed by:
Stephen Boyle, the Auditor General for Scotland; Graeme Samson, Senior Auditor; Asif Haseeb, Senior Manager, Audit Services; and Dharshi Santhakumaran, Correspondence Manager, Performance Audit and Best Value.
Read the agenda and meeting papers, 20 January 2022
Read the Official Report, 20 January 2022
Read the meeting minutes, 20 January 2022
Decision: The Committee agreed to write to the National Records of Scotland on issues raised during the meeting.
Decision: The Committee agreed at its meeting on 28 April 2022 to consider future scrutiny of the 2020/21 audit of National Records of Scotland after summer recess.
Decision: The Committee agreed at its meeting on 23 March 2023 to close scrutiny of the report.