Scottish Public Pensions Agency - spend on net zero staff and consultants: FOI release
- Published
- 25 August 2026
- Topic
- Money and tax, Public sector
- FOI reference
- FOI/202600515346
- Date received
- 21 April 2026
- Date responded
- 14 May 2026
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Information requested
From the last three financial year’s budgeted figures (22/23, 23/24, 24/25):
1. Climate-related posts
The number of posts (headcount, and FTE where recorded) employed with job titles that include any of the following terms: Climate; Net Zero; Sustainability; Carbon; Emissions; Environmental Sustainability; Climate Change; Climate Action; Climate Policy; Climate Programme; Climate Project; Climate Data; Climate Reporting; Climate Adaptation; Climate Resilience; Energy and Climate; Sustainable Procurement; Green Finance; Green.
2. Cost of those posts
The total employment cost for the posts identified in Question 1, including salary and employer on-costs (e.g. pension and National Insurance).
3. External consultants
The total amount paid during the same financial year to external consultants, companies, or contractors where the expenditure is recorded under any cost centre, project code, budget line, or purchase description that includes one or more of the following terms: Climate; Net Zero; Sustainability; Carbon; Emissions; Environmental Sustainability; Climate Change; Climate Action; Climate Policy; Climate Programme; Climate Project; Climate Data; Climate Reporting; Climate Adaptation; Climate Resilience; Energy and Climate; Sustainable Procurement; Green Finance; Green.
This should include, but not be limited to, expenditure coded to professional services, consultancy, advisory services, or specialist support.
If the council does not record expenditure in this way, please provide the closest equivalent recorded information held (for example, totals by relevant cost centre or project).
If any information requested is not held, please state this clearly. If figures are held only in aggregated form, please provide the aggregated figures. Estimates derived from recorded financial information are acceptable.
If complying with this request would exceed the cost limit under Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act, please provide advice and assistance under Section 16 as to how the request may be refined.
Please provide the information requested above in the following table format, where held:
Financial Year
Job Title
Staff Costs including on-costs (£)
Headcount
Consultant Spend
Response
1. 1 posts total / 1 FTE
Sustainability Consultant
2. Cost of posts:
| 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sustainability Consultant | n/a | 46,742 | 55,279 |
3. External consultants
Approx. £12k in 2024/25
No expenditure on external consultants in the years 22/23 and 23/24.
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Correspondence Unit
Email: contactus@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG