Our key responsibilities

The Scotland Office:

  • Represents Scottish interests within the UK Government
  • Acts as the guardian of the devolution settlement
  • Delivers secondary legislation under the Scotland Act
  • Ensures compliance with the Sewel Convention
  • Provides constitutional advice to UK Government Departments on the Scottish devolution settlement
  • Briefs Ministers on reserved matters for attendance at meetings of the Cabinet, sub-committees of the Cabinet and with key stakeholders
  • Maintains and publishes, regular information on the Scottish economy - a reserved policy area
  • Supports Ministers, including Ministers in other UK Government Departments when taking Bills through Parliament which apply either wholly or in part, to Scotland
  • Is responsible for the conduct and funding of the Scottish Parliament elections
  • Managing the Scottish Vote Provision and maintenance of the finance function, to allow authorisation of monthly payments to the Scottish Consolidated Fund
  • Acts as a focus for coordination of Scottish matters in Whitehall and as a source of information on the Scottish Government and other Scottish interests in Whitehall
  • Manages a range of other statutory functions carried out by the Secretary of State

The Scotland Office business plan sets out the Office's strategic objectives for the period to March 2012:

Link opens in new windowRead the Scotland Office Business Plan 2010 - 2012