Helping the Auditor General and the Accounts Commission to check that public money is spent properly
By Mark Roberts, Senior Manager, Audit Scotland
It’s now less than six months until the UK leaves the European Union. The nature of the UK’s departure remains uncertain and the subject of ongoing and intense debate. Critical negotiations between the UK and the European Union are ongoing. Irrespective of the outcome of those negotiations, leaving the EU will represent a major change for Scotland. Continue reading Withdrawal from the EU – Key audit issues for the Scottish public sector
Audit Scotland is looking for a Communications Manager, and so we asked our current Communications Manager to give us some insight into his time in the role.
By James Gillies, Communications Manager
At Audit Scotland we report on just about everything that affects you, me, your family and Scottish public life in general. From the NHS and the police, to the construction of the new Forth bridge; there is hardly a topic relevant to public services in Scotland that isn’t covered in some shape or form by our work. Continue reading If you think audit and news don’t go together, think again
By Graham Sharp, Chair of the Accounts Commission
The complex challenges facing Glasgow are unique in Scotland.
Roughly half of all Glaswegians, around 286,000 people, live in some of the most deprived areas of the country. Unemployment remains high and the city’s healthy life expectancy is the lowest in Scotland.
As Scotland’s local authority watchdog, the Accounts Commission’s role is to give citizens an independent take on the council’s progress and performance.
Continue reading Equal pay shouldn’t obscure Glasgow’s steady progress
By Frazer Towers, Audit Scotland Work Placement Student
I am soon to begin my third year at St Andrews University where I am studying Economics and Management. I was fortunate to spend four weeks with Audit Scotland at their Edinburgh office working alongside the team conducting their performance audit of the Forth Replacement Crossing. I wanted to spend time at Audit Scotland because of the hugely important role they play in overseeing Scottish public life. Owing to their diverse range of audits, I was able to work alongside a team in an area that really interested me and on a high-profile, exciting project that I had followed in the news while it was under construction. Continue reading Building knowledge, gaining experience
By Dave McConnell, Audit Director
It rather seems to have crept up on me but I will be retiring from Audit Scotland later in the year, so I had better give it some thought! Before that though, I have so many aspects of life and work in Audit Scotland over many years to reflect on.
I am sure whoever will be taking over my responsibilities as an Audit Director in ASG will find the role as challenging and rewarding as I have. It is, I think, one of the most interesting jobs in the organisation as it bridges external and internal facing work on a regular basis. Continue reading Reflecting on a career at Audit Scotland
By Caroline Gardner, Auditor General for Scotland
As the NHS reaches its 70th birthday, the signs of strain are unmistakeable. We all rely on it at critical points in our lives, and survey after survey shows how highly we value it. But the needs of an ageing population, healthcare costs that grow faster than the rest of the economy and increasing staff shortages – all mean that the NHS needs to change to survive.
Continue reading A honest conversation is needed as the NHS turns 70
By Anne Cairns
What do you know about the National Fraud Initiative (NFI)? The most important fact is that it saves millions for the public purse.
North of the border, the counter-fraud exercise is led by Audit Scotland and overseen by the Cabinet Office for the UK.
Continue reading Capturing fraud and error in Scotland’s public sector
By Mark Roberts, Senior Manager, Audit Scotland
At eleven in the evening, on the 29th March next year, the UK will leave the European Union. At Audit Scotland, we are interested in what this means for the 222 organisations we audit and the Scottish public sector as a whole.
Withdrawal from the EU represents a major constitutional change. It is happening at the same time as a significant expansion of the Scottish Parliament’s financial powers. Understanding, assessing and reporting on how all these changes together affect Scotland’s public finances and public sector organisations has been, and will continue to be, a major element of our work. Continue reading Preparing for life outside the EU
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
