Scottish Parliamentary Commissions and Commissioners etc. Act 2010

Strategic plans

4 After section 14 there is inserted—

“14A Strategic plans

(1) The Commissioner must, in respect of each 4 year period, lay before the Parliament a plan (referred to in this section as a “strategic plan”) setting out how the Commissioner proposes to perform the Commissioner’s functions during the 4 year period.

(2) A strategic plan must, in particular, set out—

(a) the Commissioner’s objectives and priorities during the 4 year period,

(b) how the Commissioner proposes to achieve them,

(c) a timetable for doing so, and

(d) estimates of the costs of doing so.

(3) Before laying a strategic plan before the Parliament, the Commissioner must provide a draft of it to and invite, and (if any are given) consider, comments on it from—

(a) the Parliamentary corporation, and

(b) such other persons as the Commissioner thinks appropriate.

(4) The reference in subsection (3)(b) to other persons includes a committee of the Parliament.

(5) The Commissioner must lay each strategic plan before the Parliament not later than the beginning of the 4 year period to which the plan relates.

(6) The Commissioner must arrange for the publication of each strategic plan laid before the Parliament.

(7) The Commissioner may, at any time during a 4 year period, review the strategic plan for the period and lay a revised strategic plan before the Parliament.

(8) Subsections (2) to (7) apply to a revised strategic plan as they apply to a strategic plan.

(9) In that application, the reference in subsection (5) to the 4 year period is a reference to the period to which the revised strategic plan relates.

(10) In this section, “4 year period” means the period of 4 years beginning on 1 April next following the coming into force of this section and each subsequent period of 4 years.”