They are the quangos across Scotland that have spent the most in recent times on public relations – and the agency at the top of the list perhaps is not surprising.
National tourism quango VisitScotland, which helps promote and market the nation across the globe, has come out in first place on this top ten list, having spent £34.5m on public relations in 2022/23 alone. The next highest in terms of PR spending amongst Scotland’s quangos came in at £6.1m, in a sign of just how much expenditure came from the one tourism body.
In total, Scotland’s quangos spent over £67.3 million on public relations in 2022/23.
The analysis of quangos spanned 95 organisations, ranging from major executive non-departmental public bodies and public corporations such as Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Water, through to a host of executive agencies such as Education Scotland and Scottish Forestry.
Here are the top ten spending quangos on public relations in full.
In total, Scotland’s quangos spent over £67.3 million on public relations in 2022/23.
![Queen Camilla (left) presents the Queen's Anniversary Prize to representatives from Scotland's Rural College during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The college spent £2,007,038 on PR in 2022/23 to be the fifth highest spending Scottish quango. Picture: Aaron Chown/AFP via Getty Images](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjkyNTI1NzhkLTM2MjgtNDViYi04NDg4LTk2ZGFiYzQyZjE0YTo2OTZkNjc4MS1kOTdlLTRkYjgtOGRjMC1jYTQ3MTFjNWZiNGI=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
5. Scotland's Rural College
Queen Camilla (left) presents the Queen's Anniversary Prize to representatives from Scotland's Rural College during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The college spent £2,007,038 on PR in 2022/23 to be the fifth highest spending Scottish quango. Picture: Aaron Chown/AFP via Getty Images Photo: AARON CHOWN
![Social Security Scotland, which is responsible for the delivery of key benefits such as the Scottish Child Payment, spent £1,756,000 on PR in 2022/23. The expenditure meant it ranked sixth in our table](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjJjODVjMmNlLTk2YWEtNDdjYS05OTFkLTk2ZjIzOWViNWZjOTplNDhhZmIwMy1hZGViLTQwZmQtYmZkYy1jM2U1ZDBmMzMzYmY=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
6. Social Security Scotland
Social Security Scotland, which is responsible for the delivery of key benefits such as the Scottish Child Payment, spent £1,756,000 on PR in 2022/23. The expenditure meant it ranked sixth in our table Photo: WavebreakmediaMicro - stock.adob
![The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) building in Edinburgh. The SQA spent almost 1.6 million pounds on PR in 2022/23, placing seventh in the top ten list for expenditure. Picture: PA](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjA4ZDM1NWE2LWEwMTEtNDg4Yy1iNjgwLWM0NmZkMTM2Yjk4YjpiMWI2NDE1ZC0xNzQ1LTRhZWQtODMxMi05NzljYzM1NzY3NjE=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
7. Scottish Qualifications Authority
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) building in Edinburgh. The SQA spent almost 1.6 million pounds on PR in 2022/23, placing seventh in the top ten list for expenditure. Picture: PA Photo: Andrew Milligan
![The Skills Development Scotland office in Glasgow. The quango spent almost 1.5 million pounds on public relations over the most recent financial year for which spending was available, ranking eighth highest amongst the nation's quangos. Picture: Google Maps](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjVkYjIxNzU2LTI3YzItNDUzZi1iZjAzLWEzNTc1YzA5NjhmODpjYTU5YmZhNS1kZWFkLTRlZGItOWUyYS02NDkxM2Q5MzgyY2M=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
8. Skills Development Scotland
The Skills Development Scotland office in Glasgow. The quango spent almost 1.5 million pounds on public relations over the most recent financial year for which spending was available, ranking eighth highest amongst the nation's quangos. Picture: Google Maps Photo: Google Maps