27 August 2024
09:30 – 12:00
MS Teams
Attendees
- Janet Egdell - Interim Chief Executive, Registrar General and Keeper (Chair)
- Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper
- Interim Digital and Delivery Director
- Interim Director of Operations and Customer Services and Deputy Registrar General
- Director of Statistics
- Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer Chief Finance Officer
- Corporate Business Assurance Manager (Item 3)
- Senior Project Manager (Item 8)
- Head of Portfolio and Governance (Business Change) (Item 8)
- Workforce Planning Manager (Item 9.8)
- Head of BMU (governance)
- Business Support Officer (secretariat)
Apologies
- Director of Census Statistics
- Head of People and Talent (Item 8)
1. Welcome, Introductions and apologies
1.1 Janet Egdell welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were noted as above.
2. Minutes and Actions
2.1 Members reviewed the draft minutes from the meeting held on 31 July 2024. The Interim Digital and Delivery Director advised several minor updates. BMU confirmed updated minutes would be circulated following the meeting and final minutes would be published on the NRS website.
2.2 A review of actions was undertaken. The action tracker would be updated accordingly.
2.3 Members noted the decision log. Janet Egdell requested BMU update NRS Communications on EMB decision around NRS opening hours for December 2024 and January 2025 to be included in the fortnightly CEO blog.
Action EMB 390: BMU to circulate revised minutes of 31 July 2024 to EMB for approval via correspondence. Action owner: BMU
Action EMB 391: BMU to update NRS Communications on EMB decisions around NRS opening hours in December/January to be included in the fortnightly CEO blog. Action owner: BMU
3. Risk Dashboard – Corporate Business Assurance Manager
3.1 The Corporate Business Assurance Manager provided an update on the Risk Dashboard with the key points below:
- There were no significant changes to the Risk Dashboard since the last meeting
- The proposed risk around NRS revenue spend would be picked up with the refresh work
- Noted the closure of NRS20 risk to archival processing and storage for the digital archive records
- Risk refresh work would be presented to EMB in September 2024. This would include updated Risk Register, NRS risk guidance and feedback from recent risk workshop engagement
- NRS Communications and engagement would be arranged following EMB approval of the risk refresh work
3.2 EMB noted the update.
4. Portfolio dashboard and IT services update – Interim Digital and Delivery Director
4.1 The Interim Digital and Delivery Director provided an update on the Portfolio dashboard and IT services with the key points below:
- The Portfolio Report would be moving to live reporting to provide a more up-to-date position
- Delivery Directorate were continuing to engage with the Digital Assurance Office
- Delivery Directorate were continuing to develop an NRS Delivery Plan
- A draft Delivery Plan would be presented at a future EMB meeting
- The Archive Storage Steering Group were meeting on 27 August 2024
- Scotland’s People rebranding had been announced with brand engagement sessions on social media
- Two Interim Manager Architects had started on 12 August 2024 and had started work on the IT Back-Up Refresh Project, FOPS, Digital Archiving design and a number of other initiatives including end to end architecture and lifecycle of NRS IT platforms
- A paper on Fees and Income charges would be presented to EMB at the October meeting
- The Digital Strategy Board was taking place on 4 September 2024
- An update on the NRS Digital Strategy would be provided at the Strategic Board on 11 September 2024
- IT were reviewing the terms of reference for the Architecture and IT Review Board
- A paper on the recent Data Mapping Exercise would be presented to EMB at the September 2024 meeting
- IT were arranging Staff Learning Sessions to share good practices to maximise NRS use of existing Microsoft tools to improve NRS skills and efficiency
4.2 EMB noted the paper.
4.3 The Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper provided an update on the Digital Archiving project. The Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper advised early analysis indicated that a solution had been identified to solve immediate Digital Preservation challenges. The Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper advised a paper would be presented to EMB in October 2024.
5. Future of Population Statistics (FoPS) & Census 2022: Evaluation Report Draft/Lessons Learned – update (Director of Census Statistics Paper Only)
5.1 Janet Egdell provided an update on Future of Population Statistics (FoPS) and the Census 2022 Lessons Learned Report, Draft Evaluation Report with the key points below:
- The FoPS Business Case was submitted in July 2024 following engagement with Scottish Government (SG)
- The submission to SG recognised the need to raise awareness given the benefits of population statistics across the public sector and wider Scottish economy
- The Executive Steering Group comments were valuable as NRS moved through the process of engagement with SG
- FoPS planning continued around financial year and data required
- Census 2022 Evaluation Report and Lessons Learned would be published by the end of 2024. Drafting was progressing to plan and NRS anticipated laying before parliament by mid-December
- NRS were working closely with ONS and NISRA on harmonisation aspects across respective reports
- The next Census 2022 outputs would be released in September 2024
5.2 The Interim Digital and Delivery Director requested further background to the business case including contingency planning. The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer advised the following:
- NRS noted the current financial challenges across government and impact on the wider Public Sector
- Contingency planning sessions were being arranged to review potential funding and recruitment scenarios and would also consider the impacts of the roll out of the new Oracle Cloud HR system
- NRS recruitment requests submitted after 28 August 2024 deadline would be paused until the beginning of October 2024
- Priority Posts would only be considered following the SG recruitment pause
- SG advised that Oracle Cloud recruitment training was being finalised and would have a minimal impact on future NRS recruitment process
6. NRS Security Update – Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper / The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer / Interim Digital and Delivery Director
6.1 The Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy, Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer and Interim Digital and Delivery Director provided a verbal update on NRS security. The following points were noted below:
- NRS were continuing to review cyber security following the NHS CR D&G Cyber Incident
- Proposed improvements to security assurance for Data Sharing Agreements (DSAs) would be proportionate and would take a risk-based approach
- NRS would carry out an internal email phishing campaign following completion of the SG phishing campaign in November 2024
- The Physical Security Contract was being finalised and would be in place at the beginning of October 2024
- The Information Security Committee (ISC) met on 15 August 2024
- Information Governance would be prompting colleagues to review DSAs more regularly
- An ISC sub-group was being set up to provide assurance and recommendations on document security. A short life working group were reviewing internal document security
- Work underway to update aspects of security response and information security policy
- Tender responses were being evaluated for the Information Governance and Data Privacy Services Contract
- Azets were reviewing NRS physical environmental security policy, security pass procedures and access control measures, and would conclude their review at the end of September 2024
- NRS were looking to renew DEA accreditation and would be taking part in audit sessions with UK Statistics Authority in autumn 2024
- NRS Head of Physical Security was preparing a Security vetting review and would update EMB in September 2024
6.2 The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer advised Fire Services attended NRH on 27 August 2024 due to a faulty light fitting. The incident was isolated and all staff were safe. The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer advised Lessons learned would be picked up following the incident.
6.3 EMB noted the updates.
7. NRS Finance Report
7.1 The Chief Finance Officer provided an update on the financial outturn for NRS for the financial year 2023/2024 with the key points below:
- A very positive, balanced outturn following a year of challenges and uncertainties across core NRS and the Census Programme
- NRS continued to deliver business as usual services and were on track to deliver commitments on the 2022 Census Programme
- The Annual Report and Accounts and Statutory Audit for 2023-2024 had been prepared for sign off at the NRS Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) on 28 August 2024
- Finance would provide a formal update to EMB once the Annual Report and Accounts were signed off
- Finance recommended to mitigate a future year underspend on staffing budgets and maintain financial sustainability that EMB conclude a workforce review to 2026/2027, aligned to the organisations longer term strategic plans
- Finance would present a capital strategy and policy to EMB in the coming months
- Finance recommended that EMB agreed to transfer £200k of corporate underspend to the Census budget at SBR to mitigate the need to seek funds from wider SG
7.2 EMB agreed to transfer £200k of corporate underspend to the Census budget at SBR to mitigate the need to seek funds from wider SG.
Decision EMB-D211: August Finance Paper request. EMB agreed to transfer £200k of Corporate underspend to the Census budget at SBR to mitigate the need to seek funds from wider SG.
Action EMB 392: Chief Finance Officer to transfer £200k of corporate underspend to the Census budget at SBR. Action Owner: Chief Finance Officer
7.3 EMB noted the SG announcement requesting all public bodies ensure all spend including training, travel and subsistence was business critical. EMB agreed internal staff communications piece was required.
Action EMB 393: The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer and Chief Finance Officer agreed to draft an internal comms finance piece to update staff on the SG finance request. Action Owner: The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer / Chief Finance Officer
Action EMB 394: EMB to continue to scrutinise NRS spend. Action Owner: All
8. Ways of Working (WoW) update (Future Options Paper)
8.1 The WoW Senior Project Manager and Head of Portfolio and Governance (Business Change) presented a paper on Ways of Working update (Future Options Paper) with the key points below:
- The WoW framework had been published on Saltire: NRS Ways of Working Programme
- Ways of Working had successfully implemented 35 hot desks and a cloud booking system and staff engagement opportunities throughout the programme
- The key challenges faced in meeting the identified requirements had been resourcing, both space, people and budget, to deliver certain components, but also the current approach to space ownership within the NRS estate
- A Programme workshop and Lessons Learned sessions would be held by the end of September 2024. Feedback from the sessions would help to inform phase two of the project
8.2 EMB thanked the WoW team for all their hard work in completing phase one of the WoW project. EMB agreed phase two of the project should not begin at this time. Instead progress was required on other key strategic NRS projects as these would inform future ways of working. EMB agreed the following:
- The Physical Archive and Storage Programme would be a key enabler
- The Ways of Working Framework would continue, including staff anchor days
- The workplace planning group would continue to feed workspace requests into the Customer Operations Board
- NRS collaboration with key stakeholders such as SG, HES and NLS would continue. This includes exploring arrangements with partners in SG for shared office space (for example analytical services divisions for NRS staff in the statistical services directorate)
- A formal transition plan was required to ensure outstanding actions were picked up in other existing NRS projects and forums
- A communications piece was required to update NRS staff on the next steps
Action EMB 395: WoW/EMB to provide comms piece around WoW decision. Action Owner: Head of Portfolio and Governance (Business Change)
9. NRS planning for 2024/25 and 2025/26
9.1 Census 2022 Directorate Plan
9.2 Statistical Services Directorate Plan
9.3 IRS Directorate Plan
9.4 OCS Directorate Plan
9.5 Delivery Directorate Plan
9.6 IT Services Directorate Plan
9.7 Corporate Services Directorate Plan
9.7.1 EMB noted NRS Directorate Plans for 2024/25 and 2025/26. Janet Egdell requested Directors expand Directorate Plans to include year 26/27.
Action EMB 396: All Directors to expand their Directorate Plans to include year 26/27. Action Owner: All Directors
9.8 Workforce Planning review summary
9.9 The Workforce Planning Manager and The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer presented a paper on Workforce Planning review summary with the key points below:
- Directors to continue to use existing Delegated Authority powers to manage Directorate resources locally for any business-critical posts that were required
- Further testing would be required around the affordability and sustainability of any future priority posts
9.10 EMB noted the update and agreed an Executive Management Team Strategic Planning Session was required in October 2024. EMB agreed the following actions:
Action EMB 397: BMU to arrange an Executive Management Team Strategic Planning Session in October 2024. Action Owner: BMU
Action EMB 398: Janet Egdell to review all EMT posts. Action Owner: Janet Egdell
Action EMB 399: Directors to send any immediate spend to finance for 24/25 by 3 Sept 2024. Action Owner: Directors
Action EMB 400: Finance to collate final list of immediate potential spend for approval at Sept EMB. Action Owner: Chief Finance Officer
10. Matters Arising From Other Governance Meetings
10.1 EMB noted the agenda for Information Security Committee Update on 15 August 2024
11. AOB
11.1 Members discussed the move to a 35-hour working week and the importance of board meeting paper deadlines.
12. Date of Next Meeting – 24 September 2024
12.1 EMB noted the forward look and approved the draft agenda for 24 September 2024.
End
