Public appointment: Members reappointed to Scottish Police Authority

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs today announced the reappointments of Paul Edie, Alasdair Hay, Katharina Kasper and Fiona McQueen as Members of the Scottish Police Authority.

Members

Paul Edie has served as a Non-Executive Director and Councillor for over 30 years.  Starting in Lothian Region and Edinburgh City, he was a Councillor for 23 years serving as Chair of Health Social Care and Housing. He has served on NHS Lothian as a Non-Executive and Chaired the Care Inspectorate. Paul has served as Chair of the Forensics Committee for the Scottish Police Authority and also sits on the Board of Redress Scotland.

 

Alasdair Hay joined the Authority in April 2021. His career spans more than 36 years in Fire and Rescue and he is passionate about and dedicated to delivering high quality public services. Alasdair was appointed as the Chief Officer of the new national Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in August 2012, retiring in March 2019, having successfully delivered the intended benefits of fire reform. Beyond this, he is a trustee of two charities: The Fire Service Research and Training Trust, and the Dow Memorial Trust. These help to provide financial support for research into firefighting techniques and medical/dental students at Dundee University respectively.

 

Katharina Kasper joined the Authority in April 2021. She is a senior risk and compliance professional, with substantial experience acting as a risk subject matter expert and professional adviser. Her core areas of expertise are audit, oversight and assurance, risk management, financial crime prevention and organisational transformation. She is also Chair of Children's Hearings Scotland. 

Katharina is passionate about leading by example, facilitating meaningful organisational change and delivering a lasting positive impact for all stakeholders. 

Her career to date has included a number of senior risk, compliance and transformation roles in the Financial Services industry. She is an experienced management consultant, advising a wide range of UK and EU based financial institutions, including regulators. Katharina is a non-executive member of NHS Lothian, where she is also the Whistleblowing Champion. 

 

Fiona McQueen joined the Authority in April 2021 and is currently Vice Chair of the Authority. Her career spans three decades of executive public sector leadership, primarily across the health system and latterly within the Civil Service. Fiona was appointed as an Executive Nurse Director in 1993 and has held a variety of roles, including the Chief Nursing Officer for the Scottish Government. 

She is passionate about good governance being at the heart of an organisation and also that people are at the heart of decision making. She has wide ranging experience in supporting organisations to transform and improve, and is committed to openness and transparency as well as reducing inequalities. 

Reappointment

These reappointments will be for 4 years and will run from 1 April 2025 to
31 March 2029.

These reappointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

These reappointments are part-time and attract a remuneration of £324.92 for a time commitment of 6 days per month.

Other ministerial appointments

Paul Eadie is a Non-Executive Member of Redress Scotland for which he receives a remuneration of £330 per day, for a time commitment of 1.5 days per month.

Katharina Kasper is a Member of the Board of NHS Lothian for which she receives remuneration of £9030 per annum, for a time commitment of 52 days per annum. She is Chair of the Board of Children’s Hearings Scotland and receives remuneration of £220 per day, for a time commitment of 8 days per month.

Fiona McQueen is Board Chair of Ayrshire College for which she receives a remuneration of £265 per day, for a time commitment of 8 days per month.

Alasdair Hay does not hold any other public appointments.

Political activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.  However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.  

Paul Eadie was Chair of the Scottish Committee of the Liberal International until 2022 and is currently a Member of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

Alasdair Hay, Katharina Kasper and Fiona McQueen have had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

The Scottish Police Authority was established in 2013 following the introduction of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012. The functions of the Authority are:

• To maintain the Police Service;
• To promote the policing principles (see below);
• To promote and support continuous improvement in the policing of Scotland
• To keep under review the policing of Scotland, and
• To hold the Chief Constable to account for the policing of Scotland

The SPA works to uphold and strengthen a set of policing principles, which are:

• that the main purpose of policing is to improve the safety and well-being of persons, localities and communities in Scotland, and that the Police Service, working in collaboration with others where appropriate, should seek to achieve that main purpose by policing in a way which is accessible to, and engaged with, local communities; and promotes measures to prevent crime, harm and disorder.