Scotland

The £33bn question

25 January 2012 | Don Peebles

Will Scotland’s Budget allocate resources in the best possible way? It seems unlikely when a fixed formula is used to determine spending in both health and local government Read more

Tags: | | | | Comment

End of the Union?

24 January 2012 | Iain Macwhirter

Whatever options are included in the 2014 independence referendum, the Union as we know it is unlikely to survive Read more

Tags: | | 3 comments

Referendum repercussions

10 January 2012 | Don Peebles

Could the spat over the timing of an independence referendum adversely affect discussion of the Scotland Bill and prevent inclusion of more appropriate borrowing arrangements in the legislation? Read more

Tags: | | | | | Comment

Unhealthy consequences

8 December 2011 | Margaret Cuthbert and Jim Cuthbert

The Health and Social Care Bill officially only covers England, but its removal of the private income cap will impact on both Scotland and Wales through the Barnett Formula Read more

Tags: | | | | | 4 comments

Scottish police and fire service reform: some tough questions

7 November 2011 | Don Peebles

The Scottish Government’s ambitious plans to create single, national police and fire services for Scotland are not without risk and important questions need to be answered

Read more

Tags: | | | Comment

Referendum race starts now

4 November 2011 | Iain Macwhirter

Politics is strangely quiet in Scotland now, but the promised referendum on independence is set to stir the parties up Read more

Tags: | | | Comment

University cash challenge

5 October 2011 | Iain Macwhirter

Scotland’s top universities are taking a massive gamble by charging their English students £36,000 for a standard degree Read more

Tags: | | Comment

Outcomes are in, inputs are out

20 September 2011 | Don Peebles

Politicians need to grasp the nettle and introduce an outcomes-based approach to enable longer-term financial planning for local government in Scotland Read more...

Tags: | | | Comment

Cracking the code

19 August 2011 | Sarah Sheen

It may be the summer, but public sector accountants still have work to do in updating the code of practice governing local government accounting Read more

Tags: | | | | | | Comment

Christie Commission: catalyst for change?

30 June 2011 | Paul Brewer

Campbell Christie has provided a road map for reform in the public sector in Scotland. The details are lacking, but let’s hope his analysis is the start of a long-term transformation Read more

Tags: | | | | | Comment