Scotland will face acute labour shortages and a diminished tax base unless action is taken to prevent a decline in its working age population, independent experts have warned.
The local governance review has the potential to lead to the greatest centralisation of power in Scotland since devolution, first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.
An independent Scotland could become a bridge between the EU and the UK, and a “magnet for global investment”, first minister Nicola Sturgeon is expected to tell the SNP’s annual conference this...
Kerry Lorimer meets Gail Macgregor, resources spokesperson for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, who has proved to be a doughty champion for local democracy and fiscal empowerment.
Scottish ministers have asked the Treasury to review the Scottish Government’s borrowing limits “as a matter of urgency” in the light of growing concerns over the volatility of tax receipts north of...
The Scottish Government has defended its decision to bail out private companies after it was criticised by auditors for having substantially reduced the value of £140m in loans and guarantees.
The Scottish Government’s borrowing powers are likely to come under increasing pressure due to the volatility inherent in the fiscal framework, MSPs have heard.
Ambiguity over the future of European structural funding post-Brexit has left economic development in Scotland, which benefits to the tune of €872m across the seven-year EU budget period, in an...
Scotland’s Auditor General and the Accounts Commission are embarking on a major audit of the country’s early learning and childcare system to understand the impact of expanding services.
The mishandling of a high-profile IT project has left Scotland’s public sector pensions body facing a budget gap of up to £23m over the next five years.
Scottish councils have defended their use of funds set aside for emergencies to pay for essential services after new figures showed general fund reserves would dip below £1bn next year.
The Scottish Government is facing a budgetary shortfall of £1bn over the next three years in the wake of updated forecasts, which more accurately reflect income tax receipts north and south of the...
The potential of the new Scottish National Investment Bank will be compromised if it is limited to funding only commercial activities, the Scottish Government has been warned.
Child poverty remains one of Scotland’s most stubborn public policy conundrums – but new research suggests the key may lie in an overhaul of the universal credit system, which would target the...
The next stage of an ambitious programme to devolve social security benefits to Scotland will pose a “significant challenge” to the Scottish Government, the country’s national spending watchdog has...
The SNP has backed plans to introduce a new Scottish currency “as soon as practicable” after independence, overturning the policy of the party leadership to adopt a more gradual transition from...
Kate Forbes is clear it is time to ensure there is money to invest in public services, even though this will not be an easy task. The Scottish finance minister talks to Kerry Lorimer.
The Scottish Government has defended its allocation of resources to councils to help them prepare for Brexit, saying it was up to local government to quantify the additional costs it faced.
Public finance professionals have a vital role to play in building trust and resilience, the Scottish Government public finance minister has told CIPFA members.
Scottish councils could face further financial pressure as a result of fiscal devolution north of the border, according to the public spending watchdog for local government.
