Frequently Asked Questions - Public Bodies
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What is a public body?
It is a government body that operates at arm's length from Ministers, and has a degree of independence from government in carrying out its day-to-day work. Its work is overseen by a board whose members are normally appointed by Ministers.
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What types of public body are there?
There are five types of public body:
Executive Non-departmental Public Bodies
Advisory Non-departmental Public Bodies
Tribunals
Public Corporations
National Health Service Bodies
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Why do we have public bodies?
Public bodies have a long history in Scotland and have played an important and distinct role in advising government and delivering services to the public. They are normally established to carry out tasks which it would be inappropriate for legal or other reasons for mainstream Government departments/directorates to do.
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What do public bodies do?
There are few areas of life in Scotland, which do not depend to a degree on public bodies. Jobs, health, education, recreation, the environment, travel, health, the law - public bodies make a contribution in all these areas, working in partnership with central government, local authorities, voluntary and community organisations, businesses and individuals.
The roles of individual public bodies can be found in the Scottish Public Bodies Directory.
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Do all public bodies in Scotland work to the Scottish Government ?
No. There are a range of public bodies which deal with 'reserved' matters (those which are the responsibility of Westminster and not the Scottish Parliament) or issues at an UK level. Details of these others bodies can be found on the Cabinet Office's public bodies website.
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How many public bodies is the Scottish Government responsible for?
The Scottish Government is responsible for 82 national and 32 local Public Bodies:
35 Executive Non-departmental Public Bodies
13 Advisory Non-departmental Public bodies
38 Tribunals (including 32 Children's Panels)
5 Public Corporations
23 NHS bodies
A full list is provided in the Scottish Public Bodies Directory.
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How much do public body's in Scotland spend?£ 10.458 billion (this figure includes NHS bodies expenditure).
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Are public bodies accountable?
Yes. Public bodies are accountable to Scottish Ministers, the Scottish Parliament and the organisations and individuals which they serve.
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Can public bodies be abolished?
Yes. All public bodies are reviewed at least once every five years to test whether the work they do is still necessary, and whether it could be carried out in some other way - for example, by a government department/directorate or by private industry.
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Are there likely to be any new public bodies?
New public bodies will only be set up if there is an absolutely clear and widely recognised need, and where alternative delivery options have been ruled out. Any proposal to set up a new body will have to satisfy the Government's criteria for accountability and openness and be fully compliant with Efficient Government and Best Value requirements.
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How can I find out more about a public body?
By far the easiest way to get further information on a body is through its website or official publications. All public bodies will also be happy to respond to written or telephone requests for information. Details of how to contact individual bodies can be found in the Scottish Public Bodies Directory.
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Can I attend Board meetings?
Many public bodies allow the public to attend all or part of their Board meetings as observers. Details - including agendas and minutes - can be found on the body's website or on request.
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