Auditors have found unacceptable use of public funds by senior officials at the Water Industry Commission for Scotland.

The Commission is the economic regulator of Scottish Water. Its job is to ensure long-term value and excellent levels of service for customers and communities.

Auditors reported that, in 2022/23, the Commission needed retrospective approval from the Scottish Government for around £80,000 of spending. This included:

Scotland’s prison system is facing considerable risks, including the poor performance of the company that transports prisoners to and from custody.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) contracted GEOAmey in 2018 to transfer prisoners in Scotland between prisons, courts, police custody units and healthcare facilities. But in recent years GEOAmey has been unable to recruit the staff needed to deliver the contract. This has resulted in significant delays and inefficiencies across the justice system.

NHS Forth Valley has responded well since the Scottish Government took formal oversight of the board’s work. But it is critical that the board continues to make progress.

The Scottish Government put in place an assurance board at NHS Forth Valley in November 2022 to drive improvement. The decision was taken after NHS Forth Valley leaders were unable to tackle a range of performance-related issues.