UK’s public institutions need more Scots to ensure a greater diversity of perspectives – Baroness Lucy Neville-Rolfe

Between 2022 and 2023, only two per cent of public appointments went to people from Scotland

The Met Office, the British Council and the BBC – and in fact all of our public institutions – need exceptional people from across the UK to lead them. Yes, they need people who have strong leadership skills to coordinate and energise large teams. And they need people who have some financial management experience and understanding of good governance.

But over and above any CV accolades, our public institutions need people with unique perspectives from communities up and down the country, whether that’s up above Aberdeen or right the way down in Exeter. These people are responsible for running many of our UK-wide public institutions, and make decisions that benefit the whole of society. So is it not right that they represent the whole of society?

As the government minister in charge of public appointments – these roles that guide our public institutions – I have identified a problem. While we receive many applications from talented professionals, too many of them are from London and the South East. Too many of them have the same thought patterns and perspectives.

Could you help run British institutions like the BBC? (Picture: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

This needs to change. And, as we make the long-term decisions to change our country for the better, this government is ready to meet that challenge. Between 2022 and 2023, only two per cent of public appointments went to people from Scotland, which is far too low. We know we can do better – the government's acceleration of the move of civil servants outside London, including to Glasgow, Aberdeen and elsewhere, shows what's possible with the right level of ambition.

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We need to level up our public appointments system to make sure that every corner of the UK has a voice in the running of our public institutions. Fresh perspectives and diverse life experiences, especially from here in Scotland, are essential to governing our public bodies. There is a wealth of talent here and excellent people from Scotland already hold public appointments.

Kate Guthrie for example, who is based in Edinburgh, helps the Ministry of Defence protect the UK in her position as a non-executive board member for the department. And Linda Hanna MBE, who as chair of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) leads the board of one of Scotland’s leading educational and research institutions during a period of exceptional change in the higher ducation sector.

But greater representation of Scots on public boards is needed. The opportunities are there – the majority of roles on offer can be undertaken from anywhere in the UK given the range of time commitments they require and the ability to work flexibly. Indeed, many of the roles that are currently live are for organisations based around the country.

Take for example the non-executive chair of the North Sea Transition Authority, chair of the NHS Pay Review Body and Commissioner to the Forestry Commission. From my experience in the public sector and from sitting on the boards of many companies, I know first-hand how rewarding these roles can be.

My experience is shared by many others across the UK I have spoken to, who have told me about how they improved vital public services, got more involved with their communities and worked with a wide range of talented people during their time in a public appointment. As a vital part of the UK, Scots must take an active role in running these institutions. So I’m calling on professionals across the country to consider applying their expertise in a public appointment.

There is no doubt that boards of public bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of the society they serve, and more Scots on public boards will ensure that their views are reflected in the institutions that serve our nation.

Baroness Lucy Neville-Rolfe is a minister of state at the Cabinet Office