Strategic commercial assets

Interventions Assurance Playbook

The Interventions Assurance Playbook complements the Business Investment Framework section of the Scottish Public Finance Manual.  The playbook also draws upon key areas of the HMT Green Book in support of a consistent and high-quality approach across the division. 

Corporate Governance Principles

SCAD was allocated responsibility to deliver Action 19 (formerly Action 27) of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET), as follows:

'Review our strategic approach to public ownership so that public companies are managed, developed and initiated for the public good and work collaboratively to provide support and advice to identify opportunities to establish successful public companies.’

To deliver Action 19, it was recommended that SCAD:

• establish a commercially focused stakeholder group on corporate governance to disseminate best practice and develop case studies, learning of lessons and work collaboratively on informing guidance
• prepare standard operating procedures on SCAD’s approach on corporate governance from a commercial perspective and management of investments which can be shared widely within Scottish Government and via the stakeholder group

The Interventions Assurance Playbook is the result of work with the stakeholder group in response to these recommendations.  It offers a central repository of operational policy and technical guidance to support the business intervention lifecycle from acquisition through to asset management and divestment.  Although aimed at dealing with distressed businesses, its commercial principles have a wider application and will be of interest to the wider public sector.