On Board: a guide for members of management advisory boards

Role and Responsibilities of the Minister

Public bodies in the Scottish Administration work within a strategic, policy and operational framework determined by the Scottish Ministers. Executive Agencies fall within the portfolio of a specific Scottish Minister who will set overall policy aims, define expected outcomes arising from implementation of policy and review progress against outcomes. Agency Chief Executives will have close and direct relationships with their portfolio Ministers.

Non-Ministerial Offices such as Registers of Scotland and the National Records of Scotland have a less direct relationship with Ministers. These bodies are not subject to direction of Ministers in the exercise of their statutory functions.

Ministers may seek to increase their understanding of the public body through formal meetings with the public body's Chief Executive and other more informal events.

As Ministers are responsible to the Scottish Parliament, they may be asked at any time to attend Parliament or one of its Committees to answer questions from Members of the Scottish Parliament ( MSPs) about the activities of public bodies within their remit.

Role and Responsibilities of the Minister

The Minister

• Considers and approves the public body's strategic objectives and the policy and performance framework within which it operates;
• Secures and approves the allocation of public funds for public bodies;
• Approves key documents such as the Framework Document and corporate plan;
• Approves the Chief Executive's and staff pay in line with Scottish Public Sector Pay Policy.