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The SPS Framework Document (linked below) sets out the vision and objectives of SPS and outlines the relationships between Ministers, our Chief Executive, and the Director General (Education and Justice) within the Scottish Government. 

It describes our financial and wider accountabilities, and ourapproach to staffing and other organisational matters. In short, it sets the broad basis on which we operate.

We have five internal strategic governance groups and their relationships are illustrated below:

image showing governance structure, full description to follow

Diagram above shows the five strategic governance groups; The Advisory Board, chaired by a Non-Executive Director; The Risk Monitoring and Audit Committee (RMAC), chaired by a Non-Executive Director; The Major Projects Management Group (MPMG), chaired by the Chief Executive; and the Strategic Delivery Group (SDG), chaired by the Deputy Chief Executive. Each of these groups are overseen by the Executive Management Group (EMG), chaired by the Chief Executive.

Senior leaders

SPS operates a four directorate model. Each directorate is headed by an Executive Director who are members of both the SPS Advisory Board and the SPS Executive Management Group.

Advisory Board

The role of the Advisory Board is to undertake an advisory, questioning and enabling function. It supports the Chief Executive in the discharge of her role by providing a safe, challenging forum to bring issues in order to reach defensible and well-informed decisions.

Our priorities

As an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government our work contributes to the delivery of outcomes specified in Scotland’s National Performance Framework.

Prison Rules

More information on The Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules.