Parliamentary Counsel ID2023-6422

WHO WE ARE

PCO are the Scottish Government’s legislative drafting office.

Our Purpose is—

• to draft and help deliver clear, effective and accessible law,
• to maintain and enhance our position as Scotland’s Centre of Legislative Excellence and help improve the overall quality of Scotland’s law.

PCO are proud to help shape the law of Scotland by drafting law which supports the Scottish Government’s Purpose, helps achieve the National Outcomes and secures the reputations of the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament for making high quality legislation which serves the people of Scotland well.

WHAT WE DO

PCO’s key responsibilities are to—

• draft and help deliver Bills in the Scottish Government’s legislative programmes,
• provide general drafting and advisory services to Ministers on legislative and constitutional matters and on parliamentary procedure,
• draft and review Scotland Act orders and other significant subordinate legislation and to draft and help deliver Members’ Bills supported by the Scottish Government,
• provide independent drafting services to the Scottish Law Commission and to the Scottish Parliament’s Non-Government Bills Unit,
• provide drafting services, under arrangements with the Office of the Advocate General for Scotland (OAG), in relation to the Scottish aspects of UK Bills,
• make the most of our position as Scotland’s Centre of Legislative Excellence by continuously improving and sharing our legislative skills and knowledge and providing leadership, within government and beyond, to others who use or participate in making Scotland’s law.

PCO work collaboratively and effectively with colleagues across the Scottish Government involved in making law (most notably those in the Scottish Government Legal Directorate and in the Cabinet, Parliament & Governance Division), with responsibility for supporting—

• all Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers in charge of Scottish Government Bills,
• the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General,
• the Minister for Parliamentary Business.

All parliamentary counsel are expected to do the following in a manner which accords with PCO’s collectively agreed values of excellence, objectivity, creativity and teamwork—

• Draft Scottish Government Bills, working with others to secure their parliamentary passage and deliver Scottish Government policy in a way which secures its reputation, and that of the Scottish Parliament, for making high quality legislation which serves the people of Scotland well
• Draft other legislation for the Scottish Government, or for the Scottish Parliament or the Scottish Law Commission, with a view to ensuring that the overall Scottish statute book is robust, cohesive and principled
• Participate in centre of legislative excellence initiatives which—
  • Improve how we draft legislation and how we work
  • Capitalise on our expertise to influence and lead others involved in drafting legislation
  • Share experience and know-how with others in order to improve Scotland’s laws
• Play a part in making PCO a collegiate, vibrant and happy office by helping create a working environment which helps develop skills, which allows us to look after ourselves and each other and respects diversity, and which gives all counsel an opportunity to thrive, to enjoy their work and to be successful.

Main duties of C1 parliamentary counsel

C1 counsel are expected to—

• assist in drafting and handling Bills, working under the supervision of more experienced counsel, to produce draft legislative provisions which are clear, accurate and precise
• have sound advisory skills and be able to provide Bill teams with guidance and support on common timetabling, handling or legislative issues, particularly on matters of parliamentary procedure or statutory interpretation

COMPETENCIES

• Communications and engagement
• Analysis and use of evidence
• Leading others
• Parliamentary Counsel professional skills for success framework

A parliamentary counsel must be a solicitor or advocate admitted, or to be admitted, in Scotland or be legally qualified in Scotland or elsewhere and able to demonstrate a level of understanding of law and legal concepts relevant to the role at least equivalent to that of a solicitor or advocate.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

1. An aptitude for drafting clear, effective and accessible law
2. Excellent analytical skills and ability to communicate complex information clearly
3. An ability to think creatively and an enthusiasm for continuous improvement
4. A commitment to quality and personal resilience to maintain performance under sustained pressure

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Job contact :

• Name : Laura Barrie
• Email : Laura.Barrie@gov.scot

Recruitment team

• Email : ScottishGovernmentrecruitment@gov.scot