Public appointment: Chair reappointed to Scottish Fiscal Commission

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, Shona Robison MSP, today announced the reappointment of Professor Graeme Roy as Chair of the Scottish Fiscal Commission following approval by the Scottish Parliament.

Chair

Professor Graeme Roy is an Assistant Vice Principal and Deputy Head of the College of Social Sciences at the University of Glasgow. He is a past Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute, Head of Economics at the University of Strathclyde and a former Senior Civil Servant in the Scottish Government where he was head of the First Minister’s Policy Unit.. In June 2022, Professor Roy was appointed Chair of the Scottish Fiscal Commission, Scotland’s independent economic and fiscal authority. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Academy of Social Sciences and the Royal Economic Society. 

Reappointment 

The reappointment is for four years from 1 June 2026 until 31 May 2030. 

The reappointment is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner. 

Remuneration and time commitment 

The reappointment attracts remuneration of £500.00 per day for a time commitment of the equivalent of 1.5 days per week. 

Other Ministerial appointments 

Professor Roy does 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 Roy has had no political activity within the last five years. 

Background 

The Scottish Fiscal Commission’s official, independent economic, tax and social security forecasts, alongside forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), inform the overall size of the Scottish Budget. The Commission provides independent forecasts and assess the Scottish Government’s borrowing twice a year, usually alongside the Scottish Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy. As part of these forecasts the Commission are responsible for the official costings of devolved tax and social security policies. They also provide analysis of the Scottish Government’s spending plans and the fiscal sustainability of the Scottish budget.