41.This section places an obligation on Qualifications Scotland to report after each financial year on its activities during that year. The phrase “financial year” is defined in schedule 1 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 as a year ending with 31 March. Qualifications Scotland must publish this report and share a copy with the Scottish Ministers as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each financial year. Following receipt of this, the Scottish Ministers must lay a copy of the report before the Scottish Parliament.
42.The report must include a statement of what Qualifications Scotland has done during that year to meet the requirements set out in section 7 and the expectations set out in its charters. In the event that Qualifications Scotland has failed to satisfy any expectation set out in its charters during that year, the report must set out these failures, the reasons for such failures, and the steps that Qualifications Scotland has taken, or intends to take, to remedy those failures. The charters which must be covered for this purpose will include the learner charter under section 11 and the teacher and practitioner charter under section 12, as well as any other charters produced (e.g. under section 14). The report need not include details of activities carried out by the Accreditation Committee, because it is required to report separately under section 25. Otherwise, the content and form of the report is a matter for Qualifications Scotland.
Overview of the Act Accountability of Qualifications Scotland Section 17 – Annual report of Qualifications Scotland