Public appointment: chair and commissioner appointed to the Scottish Fiscal Commission

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Economy, Ms Forbes, today announced the appointment of Professor Graeme Roy as Chair and Dr Domenico Lombardi as a Commissioner of the Scottish Fiscal Commission

Ms Forbes said:

“I am delighted to be appointing, with the full approval of Parliament, Professor Graeme Roy as Chair and Dr Domenico Lombardi as a Commissioner to the Scottish Fiscal Commission. The experience of both appointees will be a huge asset to the Commission as it continues to build its reputation as Scotland’s independent official forecaster. They will be arriving at a key time in the ongoing evolution of devolved government in Scotland as the nation attempts to rebuild from the Covid-19 pandemic. It is important that the Commission continues to enhance its role as Scotland’s Independent Fiscal Institution, further establishing itself as an independent voice of authority and enriching the fiscal policy debate in Scotland.”

Chair

Professor Graeme Roy is a Professor in Economics and Dean of External Engagement in the College of Social Sciences at the University of Glasgow. Between 2016 and 2021, he led the Fraser of Allander Institute and was the Head of the Department of Economics at the University of Strathclyde. He is a former Senior Economist and Senior Civil Servant in the Scottish Government. Graeme has research interests in fiscal devolution and regional economic development. He is an editor of the Economic and Social Research Council’s Economic Observatory and a past adviser to the cross-party Economy Committee of the Scottish Parliament.

Commissioner

Dr Domenico Lombardi is an economist and a public policy expert. His research has been published in leading academic journals and his analyses referenced by the international press. A former executive in banks and financial institutions, he was a think tank executive at CIGI, Canada, a senior scholar at the Brookings Institution in Washington, and an advisor to several think tanks worldwide. He has led high-profile evaluations on the governance of the Financial Stability Board, the World Bank and the IMF. Previously, he served as an executive board member of the IMF and the World Bank. He holds a degree summa cum laude from Bocconi University, Milan and a Ph.D. in economics from Nuffield College, Oxford University, where he was a Chevening Scholar.

Appointment

The appointments will be for four years and will run from 1 June 2022 to 31 May 2026.

The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

The chair appointment is part-time and attracts a remuneration of £477.92 for a time commitment of 1.5 days per week.

The commissioner appointment is part-time and attracts a remuneration of £343.92 for a time commitment of 1.5 days per week.

Other ministerial appointments

Professor Graeme Roy and Dr Domenico Lombardi do not hold any other public appointments.

Political activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.  However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.   

Professor Graeme Roy and Dr Domenic Lombardi have had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

The Scottish Fiscal Commission are the independent fiscal institution for Scotland. They produce Scotland’s official, independent economic and fiscal forecasts to accompany the Scottish Government’s Budget cycle.

The Scottish Fiscal Commission are directly accountable to the Scottish Parliament for the delivery of their functions which are set out in the Scottish Fiscal Commission Act 2016.