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About OQPS

The Office of the Queen’s Printer for Scotland (OQPS) provides access to Scottish legislation and delivers a range of services to the public, information industry and government relating to the re-use of information created by the devolved government for Scotland, the Scottish Government. The Queen’s Printer for Scotland reports to Scottish Ministers.

Increasing liberalisation has been the backdrop to many policy changes across the UK, all designed to increase public awareness and access to official information. Responsible for Crown copyright and database rights in the works of the Scottish Administration, and advising Scottish departments on official publishing matters, the Queen's Printer for Scotland (QPS) issues Scottish specific Guidance Notes on how to use material as diverse as Scottish Legislation, copyright notices on government websites and reproduction of Press Notices issued by the Scottish Administration.

The QPS procures a major contract with the private sector covering the printing and publication of all Scottish legislation and its widespread availability throughout Scotland. These materials are published simultaneously on the internet and in print with both media carrying official status. Working in close liasion with the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government the QPS helps ensure that a streamlined and coherent approach to the publication of legislation affecting Scotland is maintained across the UK.

The SI Registrar assists the QPS in carrying out her statutory functions in relation to Scottish Statutory Instruments. All Scottish Statutory Instruments are issued and processed by the QPS. Registration is electronic as are the databases updating legislative amendments that drive the publication of the official volumes of Scottish legislation each year. Some of this work is now contracted out to the private sector to maintain a cost-effective service taking advantage of technological developments in metadata tagging in the wider information industry.

The QPS also manages the licensing of Scottish Parliamentary copyright under the terms of an agreement with the Scottish Parliament.

The OQPS was established by section 92 of the Scotland Act 1998. The Act sets out the responsibilities as:

• to exercise the Queen's Printer responsibilities in relation to the printing of Acts of the Scottish Parliament and subordinate legislation; and
• on behalf of Her Majesty to exercise Her rights and privileges in connection with:
  • Crown copyright in Acts of the Scottish Parliament
  • Crown copyright in subordinate legislation
  • Crown copyright in any existing or future works (other than subordinate legislation) made in the exercise of a function which is exercisable by any office-holder in, or member of the staff of, the Scottish Administration (or would be so exercisable if the function had not ceased to exist)
  • other copyright assigned to Her Majesty in works made in connection with the exercise of functions by any such office-holder or member.

Section 92(5) of the Scotland Act specifies that the Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament shall hold the office of Queen's Printer for Scotland.

The QPS was specified, in the Scottish Administration (Offices) Order 1999 (SI 1999 No. 1127), as a non-ministerial office-holder and member of the staff of the Scottish Administration with effect from 1 July 1999. The QPS reports directly to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Government.