What we learned as MSPs quizzed Historic Environment Scotland chief

MSPs repeatedly pressed the government representatives on their failure to appoint an "accountable officer" during Brown’s almost-six month absence — a statutory requirement.

"Every effort was made to appoint an accountable officer during the time period," claimed permanent secretary Joe Griffin, Scotland’s top civil servant.

Katerina Brown was quized by MSPs. (Image: PA)

Responding to a query by Labour MSP Richard Leonard, Griffin said his team were under “constraints” and were unable to find a suitable replacement.

His colleague Shona Riach added: “It is regrettable that there was not an accountable officer for this period. 

“Frankly, we were working with the board to find an [interim CEO and accountable officer], even though our preference was for Ms Brown to return to post."

A third civil servant, Kenneth Hogg, told MSPs that any internal appointments “would have been compromised” due to potential appointees' involvement in the ongoing row with Brown.

An accountable officer is a senior official in a public body who is responsible to the parliament and public for proper use of funds and resources.

In one of the day’s standout moments, Reform MSP Graham Simpson asked Brown about the HES board’s reaction to her findings, which uncovered significant issues with governance and fiscal culture.

Brown said that board members had approached her with “various levels of frustration”.

Simpson then asked: "Did you come under pressure to stop delving?"

There was a long pause.

Brown said: "I carried on doing what I started doing."

Reform MSP Graham Simpson. (Image: BBC)

She went on to say that while no one directly asked her to stop investigating, she began to find it difficult to speak about proposed changes during board meetings.

Brown also pulled back the curtain on why she was forced to sign off from work in May 2025.

She said: “I visited my GP because the situation at work did become extremely difficult. On her advice, I was signed off to work to protect my health and wellbeing."

Brown added: “After four weeks, I indicated that my absence would be an additional two to four weeks, which would have been the end of June. In July, I wrote to the board and Scottish Government to say I was fit and ready to return to work. 

"However, I was advised by the board not to return. There were a series of attempts to return to work.

"It was two months of absence and four months of attempted return.

"I was advised by the board they had received a letter to them with allegations against me and to refrain from work until they were investigated.”

Brown was subsequently suspended before returning to work in October.

Last week, MSPs were told that a grievance procedure into Brown’s leadership was ongoing — nine months after it began.

The Herald revealed in November last year that all seven directors of HES had lodged a collective grievance against Ms Brown on May 8.

One of the directors has since withdrawn from the grievance process.

Mark Jones joined HES as chair in October 2025. (Image: PA)

Hogg, who serves as the government’s director for culture and external affairs, remarked: "We recognised the seriousness of the situation. The first port of call was to resolve the situation with [Ms Brown].

“It's important to note that Ms Brown indicated she wished to return to work after the first two months.

"However, it became clear that despite her intentions to return to work, the board did not want her to return to work."

Speaking during the hearing, Lib Dem MSP Jamie Greene highlighted HES’ "absolutely horrific culture". 

He remarked: "This does not point to a happy ship. What on earth has the Scottish Government been doing for the last year?

"There's a difference between being off sick for a few weeks and being off sick for six months."

MSPs also pressed HES leaders over the widespread use of digital procurement cards, the distribution of hospitality tickets, and failures to put contracts out to tender.

The issues were raised in a damning report by the Auditor General late last year.

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HES chair Mark Jones, who was appointed late last year, spoke to the lack of leadership in the senior executive team and the need for a thorough review of HES' organisation and culture.

Jones said: "I've been trying to set right what was most obviously wrong."

Asked if there has been a fundamental problem with HES since its inception, he responded: “I think there might have been," noting how the heritage organisation was founded as a merger of several public bodies.

"That is speculation on my part," he conceded.

Concluding the meeting, Leonard thanked the witnesses for their time, especially Brown —  for “being so open", he said.