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Registers of Scotland is a non-Ministerial Public Body answerable to the Scottish Parliament.

RoS is committed to transparency and accountability to the Scottish Parliament. The principal mechanism is via the Annual Report and Accounts which is independently audited and laid before the Parliament annually, most recently on 7 October 2024.

The Keeper and Accountable Officer give evidence to the relevant subject matter committee on the ARA each year. Beyond that there is continued engagement through monthly written updates to the Committee as well as regular publication of performance data on the RoS website.

The Scottish Government recognises the valuable role of community radio in delivering local news and important information to our communities right across Scotland. We believe that it is vital that there is a network of radio operations to expand and enhance the service provision for Scottish listeners and we will continue to champion a stronger broadcasting sector in Scotland to ensure a diversity of voices in communities across Scotland.

Radio, including community radio, has proven its value to our communities at times when the distribution of important information has been particularly vital, such as during the pandemic. We recognise the importance of a strong broadcasting sector with a mixed range of media sources to provide a diversity of voices, local and independent thinking and to empower communities.

We continue to make the case to the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for support to radio stations, as we did during the pandemic when we pressed for support for radio and subsequently welcomed the emergency funding for community radio through grants for community radio stations across Scotland and the rest of the UK. Scottish Government officials continue to engage with DCMS to ensure that representation from Scotland is made and DCMS understand the challenges that continue to impact the radio sector in Scotland.

The Scottish Government publish their annual marketing spend on

Allocating spectrum and assessing appropriate levels of local content is the responsibility of Ofcom. While spectrum regulation is not a devolved matter, the Scottish Government maintains a close interest in stakeholder and audience views in relation to reception and spectrum allocation because of the wider implications for the economic, creative and cultural sectors in Scotland.

We continue to set out to Ofcom and the UK Government that maintaining and developing a radio network in Scotland that meets the specific needs for both urban and rural areas across the country, is key to ensuring audiences in Scotland are kept informed and entertained, and we will continue to do so. Our view remains that it is essential that local voices and coverage of local issues are protected and enhanced, and that the regulatory framework should allow for clear and effective regulation of the requirements.

Fundamentally, we believe that broadcasting should be devolved so that the decisions that impact audiences and the creative industries in Scotland can be determined by the Scottish public through the Scottish Parliament.

Scottish Government marketing and advertising spend is published each year and can be found at  including a breakdown by media type, portfolio and individual campaign, including public health campaigns.

I have asked Alison Byrne OBE, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland (NRS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

NRS operates an information security governance and assurance structure aligned to ISO 27001 and HM Government security framework.

Personnel are vetted and undertake mandatory security and data protection training. NRS routinely uses data protection impact assessments to identify and address privacy risks. Regular IT Health Checks are completed and vulnerabilities remediated. Security event monitoring and alerting is in place. Risk management, asset controls and reporting processes are used to manage technology risk.

NRS has achieved Cyber Essentials Plus certification and accreditation as a data processing environment under the Digital Economy Act.

I have asked Alison Byrne OBE, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland (NRS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

NRS is a member of the Institute of Customer Service and participates in an annual Business Benchmarking Survey. The survey focusses on evaluating customer satisfaction levels. In 2024, 85.7% of customers were satisfied with the services delivered by NRS, set against a public services national average of 73.6%.

When exploring any changes or improvements in service provision, NRS engages with customers through appropriate survey channels. NRS monitors customer use of services through quarterly reporting. NRS operates various social media platforms that are used to engage with the public and gather feedback.

NRS also continues to review its KPIs on a yearly basis to reflect use of services.

I have asked Alison Byrne OBE, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland (NRS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

As a Non-Ministerial Department in the Scottish Administration, NRS receives its funding from the Scottish Government and its annual budget is approved and published each year, as part of the Scottish Government’s budget, by the Scottish Parliament.

I have asked Alison Byrne OBE, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland (NRS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

Access to NRS Services is set out in our .

For the range of services delivered by NRS, assessments including the EQIA, Island Communities Impact Assessment and Digital Scotland Service Standard Assessment are undertaken at the point of service change and improvement to help improve accessibility for citizens across all communities.

The Scottish Government does not provide guidance to local authorities specifically about support for community radio stations. We are however clear that community radio is a valuable resource across many communities in Scotland and we will persist in championing the continuation and strengthening of these vital services for Scottish listeners through our engagement with relevant stakeholders, including the UK Government and the regulator Ofcom.