Dear [redacted information]
REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002 (FOISA)
Thank you for your request dated 17/07/2026 under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA).
Your request stated:
Please provide me with information pertaining to Consumer Scotland’s target or any other type of benchmark relating to employee headcount, whether directed by Scottish Government or decided internally. By this I mean, the number of employees your organisation is expected to employ.
I am interested in any correspondence dating from between 1 January 2025 and now.
You specifically asked us to provide the information outline below. We have inserted our answers in bold, where relevant, below:
a) Any correspondence, including letters, e-mails, or app messages, from your SG sponsor team, Ministers, or other SG officials, directing your organisation to meet or not exceed a specified headcount, or to reduce headcount by a specified amount.
Please refer to Annex A.
b) Any correspondence similar to the above which does not specify a particular headcount but which provides other direction in terms of savings or efficiency expectations, e.g. to paybill.
Please refer to Annex A.
c) The employee headcount your organisation is aiming to meet or maintain at or by 1 April 2027, whether that number was set by SG or internally.
39, set internally.
d) Whether this number represents individuals or Full Time Equivalent.
Individuals
e) Whether this number is inclusive or exclusive of staff on fixed term contracts, secondees, agency workers, and workers of other irregular status.
Inclusive of fixed-term and agency.
f) If available, a breakdown of this headcount by grade.
An estimation based on current contracts can be found below:
SCS: 1
C3: 3
C2: 1
C1: 8
B3: 12
B2: 13
B1: 1
If you are unhappy with this response to your FOI request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by writing to;
Sam Ghibaldan,
Chief Executive
Consumer Scotland
Thistle House,
91 Haymarket Terrace
Edinburgh,
EH12 5HD
Or by email to: corporateservices@consumer.scot
Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made within 40 working days from the date when you received this letter. We will complete the review in accordance with FOISA as soon as possible, and not later than 20 working days from the day following the date we receive your review request.
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner. More detailed information on your appeal rights is available on the Commissioner’s website at:
https://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Unhappywiththeresponse/AppealingtoCommissioner.aspx
Yours sincerely,
[redacted information]
Data Protection Officer
Consumer Scotland
Annex A - Consumer Scotland and Scottish Government Deep Dive Finance Meeting – 18 September 2025
Attendees:
[redacted information]
Apologies:
[redacted information]
1. Overview of Budget Position and Ministerial Deep Dive
This meeting was organised to allow CS and SG to discuss financial year 2026-27 and beyond budget setting following [redacted information]’s attendance at a Ministerial Deep Dive with [redacted information] and [redacted information]. [redacted information] and [redacted information] had engaged in advance. In summary, [redacted information] noted the following key messages:
All SG directorates and public bodies must forecast savings of four per cent per annum in both staff and non-staff corporate costs, including TOC, over five years.
No increases in staff are permitted. Any growth must be removed to maintain credibility.
It is also acknowledged that some areas will have specific decision points in the future which will affect the profile of savings across the five years.
Both [redacted information] and [redacted information] are clear that the FLG portfolio should lead by example, given they are asking every other portfolio to do the same.
Both Ministers questioned the need for CS to have two offices given its small headcount.
The Ministers also questioned some of the spend (£18k on political monitoring) and asked that all grants are reviewed for value for money, reducing duplication and realising all available efficiencies.
CS needs to proactively demonstrate quantitatively and qualitatively the difference it is making to consumers in Scotland and the PSR agenda. For example, areas like research spend, which could be refocused on a smaller set of priorities to make savings, could be explored.
[redacted information] confirmed that the four per cent year on year savings is an overall savings target equalling 20% over five years. CS utilises SG shared services where possible and SG has increased these costs. CS also raised concerns that a one size fits all scenario wasn’t proportionate for smaller NMOs with leaner budgets. [redacted information] emphasised that CS, and all public bodies, need to engage in the process and demonstrate the impact of a reduced budget.
2. Finance Deep Dive
Based on information provided by [redacted information], [redacted information] led a discussion on potential savings.
Accommodation
Both ministers have questioned the need for CS to have two offices given the size of the organisation. [redacted information] advised that CS is actively looking to save costs in this area, which includes reducing and/or sharing office space with more than one organisation.
Thistle House in Edinburgh is a ten year lease and has a 12 month notice period. Registers of Scotland (RoS) has already been notified that CS will not renew the hot-desking contract for 2026-27. Regardless of the final decision made by CS on office accommodation, savings are unlikely to be realised before FY 2027-28.
Action: CS and SG to discuss further before end of October.
Political Monitoring
[redacted information] explained the purpose of this service and the benefits it brought. CS already uses the most cost effective option but this is an area that can be considered for generating savings.
Research Funding
CS’s operating model relies on outsourced research and its staffing model is set up to support that. CS raised concerns around the impact of cutting this budget, and the associated research, could have – i.e Scotland’s statutory consumer body only carrying out research funded by the reserved levies.
Grant Management
Grant funding, and the delivery of value for money, should be considered as part of CS’s savings plan. Ministers need to understand the risks associated with reducing grant funding in this area, noting that prioritisation must be towards frontline essential services. There are opportunities to demonstrate tangible impact such as reducing any duplication on campaign and advocacy activity.
3. Agreed Next Steps
By week ending 10 October, CS will write to SG setting out how the organisation could operate based on forecast savings of four per cent per annum in both staff and non-staff corporate costs, including TOC, over five years. In this letter, CS should propose where savings could be made and the risks associated with these savings.
[redacted information] thanked CS for a productive and open discussion and closed the meeting.
[redacted information]
Consumer Policy Team
19 September 2025