Report Summary
This report provides members of the Complaints & Conduct Committee with an overview of HMICS Assurance Review of Vetting – Progress Update.
To access the full document please open the PDF document above.
To view as accessible content please use the sections below. (Note that tables and some appendixes are not available as accessible content).
Meeting
The publication discussed was referenced in the meeting below
Complaints & Conduct Committee - 4 September 2025
Date : 04 September 2025
Location : Online
Implications
Financial Implications
The recommendations are being progressed within the FVU alongside business-as-usual commitments. There are no additional financial implications at this time.
Personnel Implications
There are no personnel implications in this report.
Legal Implications
Of the remining 9 recommendations, 3 require implementation of the Police (Ethics, Conduct & Scrutiny) Scotland Act 2025 (PECSS). This Act covers a range of topics related to ethics, conduct and vetting for policing in Scotland. There is no definitive date for commencement of the ‘vetting aspects’ of the PECSS Act however the Scottish Government have indicated it should be before the next Scottish General Election (May 2026).
The FVU have a dedicated solicitor within Legal Services who is assisting to navigate all legal matters. To date the Force Vetting Unit have sought legal advice regards Recommendations 1, 3, 9 and 11.
For the purposes of this report to the SPA Complaints and Conduct Committee, there is no specific legal implication requirement to be documented.
Reputational Implications
There are no specific reputational implications in this report however successful discharge of all recommendations will serve to positively impact on Police Scotland’s reputation with the public.
Social Implications
There are no social implications in this report.
Community Impact
There are no community implications in this report.
Equalities Implications
There are no specific equalities implications in this report however the FVU have completed a bespoke Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment (EqHRIA) aligned to Recommendation 3.
In addition, the FVU have completed an EqHRIA for the vetting aspects of the PECSS Act 2025 and a separate EqHRIA for the Authorised Professional Practice – Standard Operating Procedure (document as explained within ‘Appendix A’).
Environment Implications
There are no environmental implications in this report.
