Listed authorities covered by the Scotland specific duties

Published: 26 July 2021

Last updated: 12 June 2024

What countries does this apply to?

  • Scotland

On this page, you'll find an alphabetical list of all the public authorities who are covered not only by the general public sector equality duty (PSED), but also by the Scotland specific duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 as amended. For further information on who is covered solely by the general PSED, see our Technical Guidance on the PSED in Scotland.

Where public authorities belong to a clearly defined sector, such as licensing boards, this is listed in the second column of the table. This is intended to make it easier to find which authorities in that sector are covered.

We have collated a list of the relevant Regulations for the specific duties. View the relevant Regulations.

Board diversity duty

In 2016, there was an amendment to the PSED Specific Duties Regulations. This introduced a new duty on some authorities to:

  • publish information on the number of men and women on their board
  • a duty on the Scottish Government to collect information on the protected characteristics of board members of relevant authorities and share that information with those authorities
  • for authorities to publish how they have used the information from the Scottish Government, and how they intend to use it, in taking steps to achieve diversity on their boards.

To date, the Scottish Government have not collected the information required for relevant authorities to use. Please check with the Scottish Government for further information on likely implementation dates.    

Relevant authorities who are subject to the duty to publish information about the sex of their board members are indicated in the fourth column of the table.

Reporting schedules

Most listed authorities started their reporting in 2013 and publish every two or four years depending on the particular duty. Further authorities have been added by amendment to the Regulations, so report on different timescales.

We have set out the reporting schedules for each duty and authority. View the reporting schedules. Each public authority's reporting schedule is listed in the third column of the table below.

Listed authorities covered

Note: While the specific duties lie with Scottish Ministers, the term 'Scottish Ministers' includes all ministers and Scottish Government Executive Agencies. Current Scottish Executive Agencies are:

  • Accountant in Bankruptcy
  • Disclosure Scotland
  • Education Scotland
  • Forestry and Land Scotland
  • Scottish Forestry
  • Scottish Prison Service
  • Scottish Public Pensions Agency
  • Social Security Scotland
  • Student Awards Agency for Scotland
  • Transport Scotland

The reporting schedule for Scottish Ministers and Executive Agencies is included in the table below. 

Note: Integration Joint Boards are covered by the specific duties. Integration Joint Boards are responsible for planning services for health and social care. These services are delivered through health and social care partnerships.

Note: The University of the Highlands and Islands is an integrated university encompassing both further and higher education, partnering with independent colleges within their regional structure. We have identified these colleges, which are also covered by the specific duties, below by including ‘UHI’ in their title.

Public authority Sector Reporting schedule Subject to board diversity duty?
Aberdeen City Council Councils A No
Aberdeen City Education Authority Education authorities A No
Aberdeen City Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Aberdeen City Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Aberdeenshire Central Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Aberdeenshire Council Councils A No
Aberdeenshire Education Authority Education authorities A No
Aberdeenshire Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Aberdeenshire North Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Aberdeenshire South Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Accounts Commission for Scotland   A Yes
Angus Council Councils A No
Angus Education Authority Education authorities A No
Angus Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Angus Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Argyll and Bute Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Argyll and Bute Council Councils A No
Argyll and Bute Education Authority Education authorities A No
Argyll and Bute Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Argyll and Bute Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Audit Scotland   A Yes
Ayrshire College Further and higher education A Yes
Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board Joint boards A No
Bòrd na Gáidhlig   A Yes
Borders College Further and higher education A Yes
Cairngorms National Park Authority   A Yes
Care Inspectorate   A Yes
Central Scotland Valuation Joint Board Joint boards A No
Children's Hearings Scotland   B Yes
City of Edinburgh Council Councils A No
City of Edinburgh Education Authority Education authorities A No
City of Glasgow College Further and higher education A Yes
City of Glasgow Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Clackmannanshire and Stirling Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Clackmannanshire Council Councils A No
Clackmannanshire Education Authority Education authorities A No
Clackmannanshire Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) Councils A No
Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland   A No
Community Justice Scotland   I Yes
Corseford School Grant aided schools A Yes
Craighalbert School (Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments) Grant aided schools A Yes
Creative Scotland   A Yes
Donaldson’s School (The Donaldson Trust) Grant aided schools A Yes
Dumfries & Galloway: Annandale and Eskdale Divisional Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Dumfries & Galloway: Nithsdale Divisional Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Dumfries & Galloway: Stewartry Divisional Licensing board Licensing boards A No
Dumfries & Galloway: Wigtown Divisional Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Dumfries and Galloway College Further and higher education A Yes
Dumfries and Galloway Council Councils A No
Dumfries and Galloway Education Authority Education authorities A No
Dumfries and Galloway Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute Valuation Joint Board Joint boards A No
Dundee and Angus College Further and higher education A Yes
Dundee City Council Councils A No
Dundee City Education Authority Education authorities A No
Dundee City Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Dundee City Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
East Ayrshire Council Councils A No
East Ayrshire Education Authority Education authorities A No
East Ayrshire Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
East Ayrshire Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
East Dunbartonshire Council Councils A No
East Dunbartonshire Education Authority Education authorities A No
East Dunbartonshire Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
East Dunbartonshire Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
East Lothian Council Councils A No
East Lothian Education Authority Education authorities A No
East Lothian Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
East Lothian Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
East Park School Grant aided schools A No
East Renfrewshire Council Councils A No
East Renfrewshire Education Authority Education authorities A No
East Renfrewshire Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
East Renfrewshire Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Edinburgh College Further and higher education A Yes
Edinburgh Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Board B No
Edinburgh Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Edinburgh Napier University Further and higher education A Yes
Environmental Standards Scotland   H Yes
Falkirk Council Councils A No
Falkirk Council Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Falkirk Education Authority Education authorities A No
Falkirk Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Fife College Further and higher education A Yes
Fife Council Councils A No
Fife Education Authority Education authorities A No
Fife Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Board B No
Fife Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Food Standards Scotland   D No
Forth Valley College of Further and Higher Education Further and higher education A Yes
Glasgow Caledonian University Further and higher education A Yes
Glasgow City Council Councils A No
Glasgow City Education Authority Education authorities A No
Glasgow City Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Glasgow Clyde College Further and higher education A Yes
Glasgow Colleges’ Regional Board Further and higher education B Yes
Glasgow Kelvin College Further and higher education A Yes
Glasgow School of Art Further and higher education A Yes
Grampian Valuation Joint Board Joint boards A No
Harmeny School (Harmeny Education Trust) Grant aided schools A Yes
Healthcare Improvement Scotland Health boards and special health boards A Yes
Heriot-Watt University Further and higher education A Yes
Highland Council Councils A No
Highland Education Authority Education authorities A No
Highland Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Highlands and Islands Enterprise   A Yes
Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) Transport partnerships A Yes
Highlands and Western Isles Valuation Joint Board Joint boards A No
Historic Environment Scotland   C Yes
Independent Living Fund Scotland (ILF Scotland)   E Yes
Inverclyde Council Councils A No
Inverclyde Council Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Inverclyde Education Authority Education authorities A No
Inverclyde Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Board B No
Inverness College UHI Further and higher education A Yes
Jordanhill School Grant aided schools A Yes
Keeper of the Records of Scotland (The)   A No
Keeper of the Registers of Scotland (The)   A No
Lanarkshire Valuation Joint Board Joint boards A No
Lews Castle College UHI Further and higher education A Yes
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority   A Yes
Lothian Valuation Joint Board Joint boards A No
Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (The)   A Yes
Midlothian Council Councils A No
Midlothian Education Authority Education authorities A No
Midlothian Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Midlothian Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Moray College UHI Further and higher education A Yes
Moray Community Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Moray Council Councils A No
Moray Education Authority Education authorities A No
Moray Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
National Galleries of Scotland (Board of Trustees of)   A Yes
National Library of Scotland   A Yes
National Museums of Scotland (Board of Trustees of)   A Yes
New College Lanarkshire Further and higher education A Yes
Newbattle Abbey College Further and higher education A Yes
NHS 24 Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Ayrshire and Arran Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Borders Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Dumfries and Galloway Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Education for Scotland Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Fife Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Forth Valley Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Grampian Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Highland Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Lanarkshire Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Lothian Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS National Services Scotland Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS National Waiting Times Centre Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Orkney Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Shetland Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Tayside Health boards and special health boards A Yes
NHS Eileanan Siar Western Isles Health boards and special health boards A Yes
North Ayrshire Council Councils A No
North Ayrshire Education Authority Education authorities A No
North Ayrshire Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Board B No
North Ayrshire Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
North East Scotland College Further and higher education A Yes
North Highland College UHI Further and higher education A Yes
North Lanarkshire Council Councils A No
North Lanarkshire Education Authority Education authorities A No
North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
North Lanarkshire Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
North-East of Scotland Transport Partnership (NESTRANS) Transport partnerships A Yes
Open University in Scotland Further and higher education A Yes
Orkney and Shetland Valuation Joint Board Joint boards A No
Orkney College UHI Further and higher education A Yes
Orkney Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Orkney Islands Area Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Orkney Islands Council Councils A No
Orkney Islands Education Authority Education authorities A No
Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland   J No
Perth and Kinross Council Councils A No
Perth and Kinross Education Authority Education authorities A No
Perth and Kinross Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Perth and Kinross Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Perth College UHI Further and higher education A Yes
Police Scotland (Chief Constable of) Police and fire authorities A No
Public Health Scotland Health boards and special health boards A Yes
Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh Further and higher education A Yes
Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages   A No
Renfrewshire Council Councils A No
Renfrewshire Education Authority Education authorities A No
Renfrewshire Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Renfrewshire Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Renfrewshire Valuation Joint Board Joint boards A No
Revenue Scotland   B Yes
Robert Gordon University Further and higher education A Yes
Royal Blind School Grant aided schools A Yes
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Further and higher education A Yes
Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI Further and higher education A Yes
Scotland’s Rural College Further and higher education A Yes
Scottish Ambulance Service Health boards and special health boards A Yes
Scottish Borders Council Councils A No
Scottish Borders Education Authority Education authorities A No
Scottish Borders Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Scottish Borders Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration   A Yes
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service   A Yes
Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (The)   A Yes
Scottish Enterprise   A Yes
Scottish Environment Protection Agency   A Yes
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Police and fire authorities A Yes
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Chief Officer of) Police and fire authorities A No
Scottish Funding Council   A Yes
Scottish Legal Aid Board (The)   A Yes
Scottish Ministers (see note about about Executive Agencies)   A No
Scottish National Investment Bank p.l.c.   F Yes
NatureScot (previously Scottish Natural Heritage)   A Yes
Scottish Police Authority (The) Police and fire authorities A Yes
Scottish Qualifications Authority   A Yes
Scottish Social Services Council (The)   A Yes
Scottish Water   A Yes
Shetland College UHI Further and higher education A Yes
Shetland Islands Area Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Shetland Islands Council Councils A No
Shetland Islands Education Authority Education authorities A No
Shetland Islands Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
Shetland Transport Partnership (ZetTrans) Transport partnerships A Yes
Skills Development Scotland   A Yes
South Ayrshire Council Councils A No
South Ayrshire Education Authority Education authorities A No
South Ayrshire Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Board B No
South Ayrshire Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
South Lanarkshire College Further and higher education A Yes
South Lanarkshire Council Councils A No
South Lanarkshire Education Authority Education authorities A No
South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Board B No
South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No 1. (Clydesdale) Board Licensing boards A No
South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No. 2 (East Kilbride) Board Licensing boards A No
South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No. 3 (Hamilton) Board Licensing boards A No
South Lanarkshire Licensing Division No. 4 (Rutherglen and Cambuslang) Board Licensing boards A No
South-East of Scotland Transport Partnership (SESTRAN) Transport partnerships A Yes
South-West of Scotland Transport Partnership (Swestrans) Transport partnerships A Yes
South of Scotland Enterprise   G Yes
sportscotland    A Yes
Stanmore House School Grant aided schools A Yes
State Hospitals Board for Scotland (The) Health boards and special health boards A Yes
Stirling Council Councils A No
Stirling Education Authority Education authorities A No
Stirling Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) Transport partnerships A Yes
Tay Road Bridge Joint Board Joint boards A No
Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership (TACTRAN) Transport partnerships A Yes
Tayside Valuation Joint Board Joint boards A No
University of Aberdeen Further and higher education A Yes
University of Abertay, Dundee Further and higher education A Yes
University of Dundee Further and higher education A Yes
University of Edinburgh Further and higher education A Yes
University of Glasgow Further and higher education A Yes
University of St Andrews Further and higher education A Yes
University of Stirling Further and higher education A Yes
University of Strathclyde Further and higher education A Yes
University of the Highlands and Islands Further and higher education A Yes
University of the West of Scotland Further and higher education A Yes
VisitScotland   A Yes
West College Scotland Further and higher education A Yes
West Dunbartonshire Council Councils A No
West Dunbartonshire Education Authority Education authorities A No
West Dunbartonshire Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Boards B No
West Dunbartonshire Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
West Highland College UHI Further and higher education A Yes
West Lothian College Further and higher education A Yes
West Lothian Council Councils A No
West Lothian Education Authority Education authorities A No
West Lothian Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Board B No
West Lothian Licensing Board Licensing boards A No
Western Isles Education Authority Education authorities A No
Western Isles Integration Joint Board Integration Joint Board B No
Western Isles Licensing Board Licensing boards A No

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