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SECTION E - Governance and accountability

Introduction

This section covers information about how the Board is governed and how we make decisions. It includes information on our legal status, which individual member of staff or group within the organisation is responsible for specific functions, and where they fit in the overall structure of the organisation. Some information from committee minutes will be exempt from disclosure. It is exempt if: it contains personal information passing on the information might seriously prejudice legal proceedings or our regulatory or enforcement activity or the effective conduct of public affairs revealing it might seriously prejudice the commercial interests or confidentiality of any person or organisation or endanger someone’s physical or mental health or safety.

Class E1	Board Members
Definition	Information on who the current Members are and their roles and responsibilities
Examples	Membership and term of appointment Description of structure and membership of committees Code of Conduct for Board Members - meeting the requirements of the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 and covering issues such as declaration of interests
Notes	Board Members, appointed by Scottish Ministers, oversee our work. To provide a balanced range of knowledge and experience, they include people from the wider community as well as solicitors and advocates. The Scottish Ministers appoints the Board Members. The Scottish Government publishes information on the recruitment processes and pay at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/government/publicbodies/publicappoint.asp
Format	Online at www.slab.org.uk and single printed copies of material that is on our website
Charge	Free

Class E2	Board Members’ Register of Interests
Definition	Register of interests for Board Members - current edition
Examples	Register of Board Members’ interests, updated quarterly - declarations made by Board Members of their financial, business and other interests under the Code of Practice for Board Members Information on related-party transactions to Board Members and relatives (that is, payments made for legal aid work they carried out as a normal part of their profession) are in the Board's annual accounts - see class F3.
Format	Online at www.slab.org.uk and single printed copies of material that is on our website
Charge	Free

Class E3	Legal framework
Definition	Information on how the Board was established and its legal standing
Examples	The Board was established under the Legal Aid ( Scotland) Act 1986, which is available from HMSO. We also publish it as part of our Legal Aid Handbook. Management Statement - sets out the relationship between Scottish Ministers and the Board, the framework within which the Board and Scottish Executive work, the conditions under which funds are paid to the Board, the limits of delegation and how the Board is held accountable Financial Memorandum - sets out the terms and conditions under which Scottish Ministers will make funds available to the Board out of funds voted by the Scottish Parliament Accountable Officer’s letter of appointment
Format	Printed edition only - contact us to request these publications
Charge	Free

Class E4	Governance structure
Definition	These documents set out the Board’s governance structure, how we make decisions and how we are managed
Examples	Description of the Board’s committees’ roles Key roles and responsibilities of the Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Chief Executive, conveners and Board Members Standing orders for Board committees
Format	Printed edition only- contact us to request these publications
Charge	Free

Class E5	Board meetings and committees of the Board
Definition	Minutes and agendas of meetings of the Board and Legal Services Committee, from 1 January 2005 The minutes and agendas will exclude any information which is exempt from disclosure or which the Board considers otherwise confidential or contains exempt information. For example we may not pass on personal data or information which might prejudice legal proceedings, our regulatory or enforcement activity, or commercial interests. Where this occurs, the material will show where we have withheld information. We will normally publish the minutes shortly after the Board or committee meeting at which the Board or committee approves the minutes of the previous meeting, usually within 3 months of the meeting.
Examples	Board minutes and agendas Minutes and agendas of the Legal Services Committee Programme of Board and committee meetings for the current year
Format	Online at www.slab.org.uk and single printed copies of material that is on our website
Charge	Free

Class E6	Co-opted members
Definition	Information on who the current co-opted members are and what their roles and responsibilities are
Examples	Membership and term of appointment
Notes	Board committees may include persons who are not members of the Board
Format	Online at www.slab.org.uk and single printed copies of material that is on our website
Charge	Free

Class E7	Board reporters
Definition	Information on who the current Board reporters are and what their roles and responsibilities are
Examples	List of current Board reporters
Notes	The Board may use external reporters to assess the merits of legal aid applications
Format	Online at www.slab.org.uk and single printed copies of material that is on our website
Charge	Free

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