Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25

Staff report

Staff numbers

The number of full time equivalent (FTE) persons employed by the Commissioner at the end of the reporting year was as follows:

The number of persons employed by the Commissioner at the end of the reporting year, disaggregated by sex, was as follows:

As at the end of the reporting period, all staff members were employed on a permanent contract (2023/24: all permanent contracts).  At 31 March 2025, the organisation had no vacancies.

Staff costs (Audited)

Salaries include a provision covering the value of outstanding leave (the leave accrual). Staff costs increased by 16.1%. This reflects the first full year with all vacancies filled following recruitment to new posts in 2023/24, as well as incremental increases as staff move up through their payscales.

Severance payments

No exit packages were required in 2024/25 (2023/24: None). 

Staff pension arrangements

Employee pension benefits are provided through the Civil Service pension arrangements. The Commissioner’s remuneration, including pension contributions, is arranged by and paid through the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB).

The Civil Service pension arrangements are unfunded multi-employer defined benefit schemes in which the Commissioner’s office is unable to identify its share of the underlying assets and liabilities. The scheme actuary valued the Civil Service pension arrangements as at 31 March 2020. You can find details on the Scheme Valuations page of the Civil Service Pensions website.

During 2024/25, the Commissioner paid employer’s contributions of £278,200 to the Civil Service Pension arrangements (2023/24: £233,500) at a flat rate of 28.97% on pensionable earnings across all salary bands (2023/24: one of three rates in range 27.1% to 30.3%, based on salary bands).

The Scheme Actuary reviews employer contributions usually every four years following a full scheme valuation.

The contribution rates are set to meet the cost of the benefits accruing during 2024/25 to be paid when the member retires and not the benefits paid during this period to existing pensioners.

Outstanding scheme contributions at 31 March 2024 amounted to £25,333 (2023/24: £22,562). Employer contributions for 2025/26 for the Commissioner and employees is budgeted to be £300,600 (2024/25: £298,000).

No persons (2023/24: No persons) retired early on ill-health grounds; the total additional accrued pension liabilities in the year amounted to nil (2023/24: Nil).

Average sickness absence

The average sickness absence per person was as follows:

The average sickness absence increased mainly as a result of two extended periods of leave in the year.

Staff turnover

The figures include any agency staff and employees on fixed term contracts. 

Diversity, equality and inclusion

The Commissioner supports the principle of equal opportunities in employment and operating practices.

It is the Commissioner’s policy to treat all job applicants and employees equitably regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment status, marriage or civil partnership status, maternity or pregnancy, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation.

The Commissioner is committed to recognising and valuing what everyone has to offer. We are aware of our equality duties under the Equality Act 2010. In our policy development and our decision making we consider the implications for all staff in line with the Equality Act. 
 

Employee participation

The new Strategic Plan for the period 2024 to 2028 has a range of actions designed to improve and develop employee relations. It has a specific objective stating:

“We value people and recognise that unless we have staff who are valued and supported to maintain their wellbeing, feel happy in and proud of our work and the way in which we do it, we will have failed.”

A suite of HR and operating policies and procedures are developed and maintained with staff input and consultation. Formal staff surveys on key topics are regularly undertaken.

Organisation wide staff meetings are held regularly, to supplement those for individual teams. The minutes of all Senior Management Team meetings are published, with updates provided to staff at their monthly meetings. Longer, quarterly meetings allowing for in depth training and consultation sessions began in 2024.

The Commissioner has introduced cross-functional working groups to encourage all staff to participate in the wider work of the office and have a stake in the development of policy and procedures. The first of these, an FOI Panel, was launched in January 2024 and was followed by the Accessibility Working Group in September 2024.

Learning and development

Over the years, the organisation has developed a comprehensive annual performance review process, where individuals are encouraged and supported to plan for their own development needs and career plans. This performance management system ensures that staff members receive informal and formal external and internal training. During 2024/25, as well as attending a range of internal training sessions and webinars and conferences, staff were given the opportunity to attend 22 external training sessions. Topics ranged from application of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights to attending a mock employment tribunal.

Health, safety and wellbeing

The Commissioner is committed to promoting the health, safety and wellbeing of all staff, and to ensuring that our working environment supports this. The Commissioner has moved to a fully hybrid working environment. Appropriate equipment and furniture has been provided to staff. All staff must complete Health and Safety risk assessments of their remote working arrangements. The Commissioner operates a confidential counselling support service for all staff that wish to access it and engages with staff as appropriate in the making of reasonable adjustments to enable everyone to achieve their full potential.

Authorisation
 

Ian Bruce
Accountable Officer
Date: 03 October 2025