Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018: Scottish Ministers' Report to Parliament 2023

Introduction

1.1 This is Scottish Ministers’ second report to the Scottish Parliament on the operation of the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018 (the “2018 Act”), as required by section 8(1) of the 2018 Act and regulation 6 of the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018 (Reports) Regulations 2020 (the “2020 Regulations”).^[4]

1.2 Scottish Ministers’ first report to the Scottish Parliament was laid in December 2021.^[5] It covered the period from 29 May 2020, when the provisions of the 2018 Act came into force, to 30 April 2021. This report covers the period from 1 May 2021 to 31 December 2022.

1.3 In order to provide an overview of the operation of the 2018 Act, Scottish Ministers must consider all published reports by appointing persons and public authorities under the 2020 Regulations.

1.4 This report draws on the information set out in Scottish Ministers’ Report in their role as an Appointing Person (the “Regulation 2 report”) which was published in August 2023.^[6] The Regulation 2 report includes data for 130 listed public authorities, including those where the appointing person is someone other than Scottish Ministers, such as higher education institutions, as well as those where the appointing person is Scottish Ministers.

1.5 The following chapter provides an overview of the 2018 Act itself. Chapter 3 provides an overview of the operation of the 2018 Act, drawing on the information reported for listed public authorities in the Regulation 2 report.