An independent Scotland could choose to postpone the next scheduled rise in the UK pension age, reflecting Scotland’s lower average life expectancy, the Scottish Government said in a paper published...
The government is yet to take control of the ‘absurd’ situation of the shortage of school places, a direct result of its mismanagement and ‘incoherent’ free schools programme the National Union of...
A newly independent Scotland could face a shortfall of close to £6bn in its public finances, thanks to a mixture of UK-led austerity measures and falling oil prices, according to a report today from...
Finance Secretary John Swinney promised to focus on mitigating the social effects of Westminster cuts and investing in Scottish economic growth over the next two years, as he presented his draft...
Leaders of the Scottish voluntary sector are to launch an inquiry into local authority arm’s-length external organisations (Aleos), following claims that their charitable status is draining money...
Scotland’s 32 local authorities have offered council workers a 1% pay rise for 2014/15 on top of the same increase given to staff in the current financial year.
Scottish ministers have agreed an outline plan that could see significant powers over resources and policy devolved to Scotland’s three island councils if voters back independence in next year’s...
Increasingly Right-wing policies from the UK coalition government and relentless scaremongering by the pro-union BetterTogether campaign could drive Scots to vote for independence in next year’s...
Universities in Scotland are poised to benefit financially in the coming year from a record influx of students from the rest of the UK, paying fees of up to £9,000 a year and from non-European...
The Scottish Futures Trust, set up by ministers to develop innovative approaches to funding capital projects, has recorded its fourth successive year of increased savings and other benefits to the...
The Scottish Government’s budget to 2017/18 will fall in both cash and real terms following this year’s UK Spending Review, the Centre for Public Policy for Regions has said
An independent Scotland would retain the household benefits cap introduced by the UK coalition, though possibly at a different level, First Minister Alex Salmond said this weekend.
Independence would allow Scotland to redesign its benefits system around its relatively older population, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
An independent Scotland would guarantee North Sea oil and gas producers a stable fiscal regime, free from Westminster-style ‘tax grabs’, First Minister Alex Salmond said today.
A majority of local authorities in Scotland say that an increase in rent arrears in council housing is a result of the government’s changes to the welfare system, including the so-called bedroom tax.
Work has started on a public project financed under Scotland's non-profit funding model after the deal to build the £47m Inverness College was struck in record time.
The Scottish Government must show it can afford all the costs of its planned capital projects, which could reach £7.5bn over the next 30 years, Audit Scotland has said.
Public sector recruitment in Scotland should include flexible and part-time working as standard, Holyrood’s Equal Opportunity committee said today. MSPs also demanded a timetable from ministers for...
Scotland could provide its own pensions and benefits systems immediately after independence, but it would be better to share administration with the rest of the UK for an interim period, Deputy First...
The Scottish Government is to set up its own version of the Office for Budget Responsibility when it takes on new tax powers under the 2012 Scotland Act. The move follows MSPs’ concerns that poor OBR...
Inward investment in Scotland last year was the second largest in the UK and the highest in 15 years, challenging claims that the independence debate would scare off foreign investors, according to...
Auditors have said that the botched Edinburgh tram project continues to present a ‘substantial’ challenge to the city council as it attempts to implement budget cuts and restore public confidence.