FOI/202600510508 · FOI · unclear
National Mining Museum Scotland funding information: FOI release
Information requested
Information regarding assessments of the National Mining Museum Scotland (NMMS) undertaken by the Scottish Government as part of allocating funds for 2025/26.
1. As part of allocating funds 2025/26 to the National Mining Museum Scotland (NMMS) did the Scottish Government assess the robustness of NMMS’s governance?
2. Did the assessment include NMMS’s Articles of Association – NMMS’s legal governance framework?
3. In the evaluation to what extent did NMMS’s governance comply with the Scottish Public Finance Manual’s Best Value characteristics (Vision and Leadership, Effective Partnerships, Governance and Accountability, Use of Resources, and Performance Management)?
4. If the assessment has not been carried out, why not?
Response
Whether the Scottish Government assessed the robustness of NMMS’s governance as part of allocating funds for 2025/26
Yes. The Scottish Government’s routine due‑diligence and grant‑management processes were used to assess the robustness of NMMS’s governance prior to confirming the 2025/26 grant offer. These processes are embedded within the conditions of grant set out in the 2025‑26 Grant Offer Letter and align with the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM), which requires organisations receiving grant funding to demonstrate sound governance, clear accountability, sustainable financial planning, and proper stewardship of public funds.
Key aspects of these processes include:
General oversight of governance and leadership, supported by regular engagement between officials and the organisation. Financial scrutiny, including routine review of financial information, forward planning material, and updates on organisational sustainability. Assurance mechanisms, such as scheduled monitoring discussions, progress updates, and performance reporting, which allow the Scottish Government to track delivery and identify any emerging risks. Checks on compliance with relevant statutory, regulatory, and policy requirements, including expectations relating to fair work, equality, children’s rights, and the appropriate use of public funds.
Whether the assessment included NMMS’s Articles of Association
The Scottish Government did not undertake a separate review of NMMS’s Articles of Association solely for the purpose of the 2025/26 funding allocation. However, NMMS’s statutory arrangements form part of normal grant management oversight.
This is reflected in:
The requirement at that NMMS must immediately inform the Scottish Government of any changes to its constitution, including changes to its legal status. The requirement for the Board to sign‑off key strategic documents, demonstrating that NMMS is operating in accordance with its governing Articles. The monitoring of Board activity through the provision of Board papers to the Scottish Government.
These mechanisms are consistent with the requirements of the Scottish Public Finance Manual and help ensure that the Scottish Government can remain assured that any organisation receiving grant funding has a governance framework that is fit for purpose.
The extent to which NMMS’s governance was evaluated against the SPFM Best Value characteristics
The Scottish Government did not carry out a separate, formal assessment that individually scored the organisation against each of the Scottish Public Finance Manual’s Best Value characteristics. However, the governance expectations and oversight processes included in the Scottish Government’s grant management framework are designed to reflect these Best Value themes.
Through the Scottish Government’s ongoing grant management and due‑diligence arrangements, the organisation is expected to demonstrate:
Clear leadership and strategic direction, supported by an effective governing body. Constructive partnership working, including cooperation with relevant stakeholders and funders. Sound governance and accountability, underpinned by regular engagement, access to information, and mechanisms for identifying and addressing risks. Proper use of resources, supported by financial monitoring, controls on the use of public funds, and safeguards to ensure public money is used appropriately. Effective performance management, including the setting of expected outcomes and the provision of regular updates on progress.
While this does not amount to a standalone Best Value assessment, these ongoing, structured oversight processes collectively ensure that the organisation operates in a way that is consistent with the principles set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual.
If an assessment has not been carried out, why not?
A separate or additional governance review was not required because the Scottish Government’s routine grant‑management processes, alongside the conditions set out in the grant letter, provide the level of assurance required under the SPFM. These processes are designed to ensure that publicly funded organisations have appropriate governance structures, manage public resources properly, and deliver agreed outcomes.
For clarity, the Scottish Government’s oversight of NMMS relates specifically to ensuring the proper use of the public funds provided through its grant award. NMMS, as a registered charity, is independently regulated by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), which is responsible for matters relating to charity law and trustee governance.
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