Number and appointment of members
155.Paragraph 2 provides that Qualifications Scotland is to consist of a member appointed by the Scottish Ministers as its chairing member, a member appointed by the Scottish Ministers as the convener of the Accreditation Committee to be established under paragraph 13, the organisation’s chief executive appointed under paragraph 8(1)(a), and between 8 and 12 other members appointed by the Scottish Ministers. Qualifications Scotland can also appoint co-opted members under paragraph 7 (see paragraphs 167 to 168 of these Notes). This means that in total the body will have between 11 and 15 members (excluding any co-opted members, who do not have voting rights). If co-opted members are included in the total then the body will have between 11 and 17 members.
156.However, there is a power (subject to the negative procedure) for Ministers to make regulations which would vary the number of “other” members (i.e. those appointed under paragraph 2(1)(d)). Qualifications Scotland must be consulted before any regulations are made using this power.
157.For details of how the first members of Qualifications Scotland will be appointed (as a transitional measure), see paragraphs 222 to 225 of these Notes.