Month: May 2018

By Fraser McKinlay, Director of Performance Audit and Best Value

In March, I was lucky enough to travel to Sydney, Australia, to speak at the IMPACT 2018 conference.  It’s a biannual gathering of performance auditors, organised by the Australasian Council of Auditors General (ACAG), and this year hosted by the Auditor General of New South Wales.

It was a fantastic opportunity to share with colleagues my experiences of auditing in an increasingly devolved Scotland, and learn from the best approaches to performance auditing around the world. Continue reading Performance audit – unique and unifying work from around the world

by Caroline Gardner

A new phase in Scotland’s devolved powers began with last week’s passing of the Social Security Bill.

Major new responsibilities for delivering benefits worth around £3 billion a year now sit with the Scottish Government. Unsurprisingly, the stakes are high.

The Government is committed to delivering the first wave of devolved benefits by summer 2019, including the carer’s allowance supplement, the Best Start grant, and assistance with funeral expenses. Continue reading Why 2018 matters: social security and the Scottish Government