NRS Executive Management Board meeting
Tuesday 5 August 2025
9:30 – 12:15
Lord Clerk Room, General Register House
Attendees:
- Alison Byrne Chief Executive, Registrar General and Keeper (Chair)
- Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer
- Director of Census Statistics
- Interim Director for Digital & IT Services
- Head of BMU (governance) Corporate Business Assurance Manager
- Business Support Officer (secretariat)
- Head of Health and Safety (Item 3.2)
- Head of Portfolio and Governance (Item 3.5)
- Corporate Finance Lead (Item 4.1)
- Senior Project Manager (Item 4.2)
Apologies:
- Director of Customer Service Operations and Archives
- Director of Statistics
- Interim Digital and Delivery Director
- Corporate Governance Manager
- Head of NRS People Services
1. Welcome, Introductions and apologies
Alison Byrne welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were noted as above.
1. Members approved the draft minutes from the meeting held on 3 June 2025.
1.2 A review of the action log was undertaken. The action log would be updated accordingly.
1.3 Members noted the decision log.
1.4 Alison Byrne requested feedback from the People Board be fed into the evidence base for development of the NRS estate space planning project. EMB agreed a collective action to track ongoing progress and costings for the project.
Action EMB 477: Track all feedback on hybrid working including People Board suggestion to rent space in SG buildings. Action Owner: Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer
2.1.1 The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer provided an update on People Services with the key areas below.
2.1.2 Training Budget Review: At the previous EMB, HR shared the issue that NRS non-staff costs covering job-related training was not enough to cover staff demand.
The People Board recommended the following definitions of the priority grading recommend for job-related training (JRT) requests:
- Priority 1 - Legal or Compliance defined as requests that contain failure of service delivery or legal/accreditation risks
- Priority 2 - Essential Training defined as Director endorsed critical training for staff, regardless of training format/style
- Priority 3 - Desirable Training defined as training that can be reviewed at MYR or at least provided a higher priority level in the following reporting year if not achievable currently
2.1.3 EMB agreed to prioritise ‘Priority 1’ training and Directors could place bids for essential training at MYR.
EMB Decision EMB-D233: EMB approved ‘Priority 1’ training spend, with a further review of training spend and requirements at MYR.
2.1.4 Alison Byrne requested the embedded balance spreadsheet within the People Services paper be circulated following the meeting. Alison also requested an update from finance on training spend to date.
Action EMB 478: Circulate the embedded balance spreadsheet within the People Services paper. Action Owner: the Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer / the Head of NRS People Services
Action EMB 479: Update EMB on training spend to date at MYR. Action Owner: the Corporate Finance Lead
2.1.5 Employer Legislation Changes: The new duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment happening within their organisation
- NRS published a People Survey Action Plan in Jan 2025 endorsed by the Executive Management Team (EMT)
- EMT promised to prioritise ‘Taking a zero-tolerance stance against any bully & harassment within the organisation’, an approach similar to per previous years
2.1.6 Alison Byrne requested staff communications be prepared reminding staff of unacceptable behaviour policy and whistle blowing policy. EMB noted NRS would review these policies in line with SG review of whistle blowing policies.
Action EMB 480: Staff communications be prepared reminding staff of unacceptable behaviour and whistle blowing policies. Action Owner: the Head of NRS People Services
3.1 Update on Corporate Risks and Live Issues
3.1.1 The Corporate Business Assurance Manager provided an oral update on Corporate Risks and Issues with the key points below:
- EMB noted the H&S action to carry out an independent assessment on mobile racking to close off the issue
- EMB noted new risk in relation to CALM cataloguing software which would reach end of life by December 2027. EMB noted this would be included in the archive services programme work
- A final Risk Workshop with Directors would be taking place on the risk escalation process
- Monthly 1-2-1 risks and issues meetings would be arranged with relevant leads
3.1.2 EMB agreed to ensure the risk register and corporate issues log were fully updated ahead of the Audit and Risk Committee.
3.2 Health & Safety update
3.2.1 An update was provided on health and safety performance, key priorities and risk and issues by the Head of Health and Safety with the key points below:
The Covid Secure Working Group had been stood down. Its remit would be covered by the Health and Safety Committee
- An update on health and safety performance, noting the increased completion rates for mandatory health and safety training
- The key priorities continued to focus on life safety issues, including fire safety, Legionella, and asbestos, along with the reduction of other significant risks such as confined space work
- Reducing workplace stress was also an area of focus. Focus groups were being held at Directorate level to review the NRS Stress Index results and to develop local action plans. The focus groups held so far have been well received with very positive participation
3.2.2 EMB noted the update and gave positive feedback on the focus groups. EMB noted the Health and Safety Board would have oversight of the workplace stress related actions.
3.2.3 Alison Byrne requested the Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer follow up on certificates for OCS inspection reports from Lovetts.
Action EMB 481: the Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer to follow up on certificates for OCS inspection reports from Lovetts. Action Owner: the Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer
Action EMB 482: Publish communications updating staff on the work carried out in response to the last people survey, including Stress Index results focus groups. Action Owner: the Head of NRS People Services
3.3 Digital and Data Strategy update
3.3.1 The Interim Director for Digital & IT Services presented a new dashboard update on key performance areas across NRS Digital and IT portfolio with the key areas below:
- IT Operations: Present analysis of support activity, highlighting performance in managing faults, incidents, and service requests. Including the support call volume and call resolution performance
- Budget: The financial section outlined IT Budget performance, focusing on actual spend, forecast accuracy, and key variances. Including a forward view of contract renewals and a section on staffing, with progress on approved positions, and in future would include progress on Learning and Development activities
- Digital Delivery: Report on IT delivery highlights (this may be factored into future reporting by Delivery Directorate) This was a first attempt at using corporate business intelligence tooling to provide insights and a clear view of NRS operational health, financial management, recruitment progress and delivery highlights. Expect this reporting to mature as points of data capture were improved and provided new datasets and insights – supporting decision-making and continuous improvement across Digital and IT Service
3.3.2 The dashboard highlighted the following key points:
- IT projects in flight remained largely on track with issues being resolved and risks managed by IT
- The IT Delivery team reduced from 3 FTE to 2 FTE in June following the retirement of the senior delivery manager. The successful closure of the Census 2022 IT workstream allowed a transfer or responsibilities. Backfill recruitment was under consideration given upcoming directorate changes
- IT also continued to support multiple corporate initiatives at both board and build level, with some challenges. Work was in progress to utilise the new digital services contract to address immediate IT capability and capacity gaps
3.3.3 EMB noted the report. Alison Byrne noted the development of this dashboard would provide a good model for all NRS Directorate Dashboards.
3.4 Census 2031
3.4.1 The Director of Census Statistics provided an update on Census 3031 with the key points below:
- Strategic Objectives and Design Principles were approved within Census programme governance
- Census 2031 strategic objectives would ultimately be what the success of Scotland’s Census 2031 was measured against
- Next steps were to develop a series of underpinning KPIs that would provide the evidence base for that future measurement and publish these in the first iteration of Statistical Quality Strategy
- Design principles recognised the different interests and priorities within the programme but were vital guidelines for decision making at all levels
- Strategic Objectives and Design Principles would be published on Census website
3.4.2 EMB noted the Strategic Objectives and Design Principles that were approved within Census programme governance (Delivery Management Board for the strategic objectives and Design & Integration Group for the design principles).
3.4.3 EMB also noted the intention to publish the strategic objectives and design principles in the autumn and after they have been shared with the Census Programme Board in early September. EMB noted this was in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics.
3.4.4 EMB provided the following feedback:
- A suite of expectations, targets and milestones be set in terms of Delivery, with KPIs for these. For example, delivery of the MOU.
- Feed any lessons learned from Census 2022 into the design principles of Census 2031
3.5 NRS Corporate Planning, Financial and Delivery Change Governance
3.5.1 The Head of Portfolio and Governance provided an update on NRS Corporate Planning, Financial and Delivery Change Governance with the key points below:
- This was an early draft paper setting out the approach to NRS Corporate Planning and Financial and Change Delivery Planning
- The paper was supported by a number of appendices including change delivery approach (project lifecycle and standards), portfolio management function including responsibilities of the portfolio office and related P3O functions
- Normal timing for NRS Corporate Plan publication would be around April annually, fitting with the planning and budgeting cycle
- Proposing this first Corporate Plan ran for 18 months to April 2027, before publishing an updated version. This would provide timing for more detailed planning
- EMB were asked to consider this early draft and suggest any changes, additional detail they would wish to see included in future iterations
- The paper suggested delivery and day to day management of the Corporate Plan would be carried out by a Change and Portfolio Board with EMB making investment decisions via business cases
3.5.2 EMB noted the following:
- The paper was an early draft of the approach, for further discussion and refinement
- The aim in principle would be to finalise the detail contained within the paper at the same time as Corporate Plan publication
- Staff communications and engagement were essential to ensure this work incorporated previous staff feedback in relation to NRS governance and change management
- Further EMB feedback would be collated by BMU via correspondence
- Deep dive session at a future EMT Planning session
4.1 Finance 25/26 update
4.1.2 The Corporate Finance Lead provided an update on NRS resource and capital budget provisional outturn 2024/25 2025/2026 budget allocation and reporting to Q1 with the key points below:
- Grant Thornton would not be able to sign off the annual audit report until pensions data received from HMRC. A closeout meeting would be arranged once pensions data was received
- The 2024/2025 financial year has brought challenges for every portfolio of the Scottish Government. These challenges had been no different for NRS, however the organisation had continued to deliver business as usual services
- Finance would continue to report financial performance against budget for 2024/25 as a formal update to EMB until conclusion of the statutory audit
- Finance would continue to engage with portfolio and FBP colleagues on 2025/2026 and future year budget allocations
- It was recommended to mitigate a future year underspend on staffing budgets and maintain financial sustainability that EMB undergo regular workforce reviews, aligned to the organisations longer term strategic plans
- Finance were undertaking a different approach to income forecasting going forward and would continue to report findings to EMB on assured forecasts
- Finance would monitor capital expenditure against updated budget and inform EMB of variances
4.1.3 EMB noted the 2024/2025 draft outturn along with statutory audit update and 2025/26 forecast outturn position at June 2025 (Period 03).
4.2 Fees Charges & Income (FCI) and Registration Services fees regulations
4.2.1 The FCI Senior Project Manager provided an update on FCI and Registration Services fees regulations with the key points below:
- Delivery Phase One had been very successful with the team working determinedly to achieve income and compliance milestones
- Delivery Phase One commenced 1st November 2025 and completed on 31st March 2025
- During this phase, the team worked on 15 active projects, all at varying points in the project lifecycle
- To date, FCI Programme has secured £991,433 in financial benefits
- During this phase, both the benefits of, and blockers to, FCI programme had emerged clearly, with the sustained future of FCI as a key business function becoming a key discussion point
4.2.2 The FCI Senior Project Manager provided an update on Registration Services fees regulations with the key points below:
- Following learnings from the review of the Tartans Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI), the FCI team were now in the discovery stage of reviewing the Registration Services SSI Projects included within this review were: Extracts, SP Web, Change of Name, Data Feeds
- The paper requested approval from EMB to explore increasing fees for NRS registration services highlighting that the current fees, largely unchanged since 2010, were no longer sustainable and contradicted the Scottish Government's public sector reform agenda of achieving value for money and recovering operating costs
4.2.3 EMB agreed the following decisions:
- EMB confirmed that the Director of Statistics would be the interim SRO for FCI project until a new CFO was appointed
- EMB confirmed that NRS Delivery Portfolio would be the permanent project office for FCI programme, continuing to report to EMB on a 6 monthly basis
- EMB approved the Reviewing Registrations Services SSI option A – legislative amendment focusing on increasing existing fees, with a more fundamental reform to follow at a later date. This option was considered quicker and within the current FCI team's capacity
EMB Decision EMB-D234: EMB approved the Director of Statistics as the interim SRO for FCI project until a new CFO was appointed.
EMB Decision EMB-D235: EMB approved NRS Delivery Portfolio would be the permanent project office for FCI programme, continuing to report to EMB on a 6 monthly basis.
EMB Decision EMB-D236: EMB approved the Reviewing Registrations Services SSI option A – legislative amendment focusing on increasing existing fees, with a more fundamental reform to follow at a later date. This option was considered quicker and within the current FCI team's capacity.
4.2.4 Alison Byrne advised EMB that SG DG had verbally agreed in principle to NRS proposals for income generated from FCI programme could be used to fund future investment in NRS Core Service improvements, and that any income raised by NRS would not be deducted from future SG Budget allocations. Alison advised a submission was being prepared on this basis for SG DG approval.
5.1 AOB
5.1.1 No AOB was raised.
5.2 EMB Forward Look
5.3 EMB noted the forward look.
Next meeting: 2 September 2025
