Recommendation ETI-3: Staffing Guidance
From Edinburgh Tram Inquiry Report, published 19 September 2023.
Recommendation
The guidance mentioned in the first recommendation should include: advice concerning the circumstances in which civil servants in the inquiry team may properly transfer to posts, other than promoted posts, within other government departments or agencies; which positions within the administration of a public inquiry may be filled by the employment of agency staff; and whether longer-term contracts as temporary civil servants are more appropriate for particular positions that cannot be filled by permanent civil servants.
In brief (written by this site)
In November 2023, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition Màiri McAllan stated to the Scottish Parliament that the Scottish Government was "working through all of these recommendations" (Màiri McAllan response, Nov 2023). The Minister reported in November 2023 that additional guidance regarding the efficient establishment and delivery of public inquiries was already in development and had been shared with recent inquiries as they were established (Màiri McAllan response, Nov 2023).
Sources
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
We are working through all of these recommendations, but I can report that additional guidance similar to that suggested is already in development with reference to the efficient establishment and delivery of public inquiries and has been shared with recent inquiries as they have been established.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: The statement gives this passage once, for the four recommendations it says refer to the establishment and delivery of public inquiries. Recommendation 4 carries the Cabinet Secretary's answer on it in the chamber the same day, so the same words are recorded on ETI-1, ETI-2 and ETI-3.
Delivery
No statement on delivery from Scottish Government has been found in the sources searched (last checked 31 January 2026). This is separate from the response above.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Scottish Government
Response