 Returning to his native Scotland, Brebner served as Chief Divisional Food Officer for Scotland with the Ministry of Food from 1940 to 1942 and Licensing Officer for Scotland with the Ministry of Works from 1942 to 1954.He also served on the Council and Executive of the National Trust for Scotland until 1961 and on the Board of the Scottish Special Housing Association from 1954 to 1961, and was Acting Secretary of the Royal Scottish Academy from 1954 to 1955.Brebner was appointed Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in the 1920 New Year Honours and was knighted on his retirement from India in 1938.