The Scottish Government is coming under pressure to renegotiate the local government finance settlement because of concerns over the cost of free school meals and its council tax freeze policy
The 'complex' structure of Scotland's public finance audit system is not widely understood and should be simplified, an influential commission has suggested.
The implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards by councils requires dedication, hard work and application. It's an Olympian task but the prize will be worth it
Is time up for Sats? The summer marking fiasco left the government embarrassed, and parents, teachers and pupils fuming. But, argues Conor Ryan, the controversial tests have raised standards and...
Child poverty campaigners have urged the government to invest £3bn in tax credits and benefits after figures showed 174 constituencies in Britain had 50% or more children living in, or on the brink...
The condition of Scotland's schools is improving but almost a third of buildings are still crumbling or badly in need of repair, official figures have revealed.
Northern Ireland is to follow Scotland and Wales in abolishing prescription charges. Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said that the cost would be reduced to £3 from January 2009 and abolished by...
NHS patients in Scotland are to be given a legal right to a maximum waiting time of 12 weeks for an operation under plans announced by health secretary Nicola Sturgeon.
Members of the Scottish commission on devolution have begun holding a series of meetings across the UK to assess opinion on the powers of the devolved Holyrood Parliament.
The prospect of concerted public sector action on pay receded this week when unions decided to put the local government dispute into arbitration despite a warning from employers that staff could...
Young people under the age of 26 are to be offered free theatre tickets as part of a £2.5m government-funded scheme, it was announced on September 23. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said...
Local government workers in Scotland are planning a further one-day strike later this month, following the failure of unions and local authority employers to reach agreement on pay
Scottish Water claims to be the fastest improving water company in the UK. In its annual report for 2007/08, the public sector utility said it continued to outperform its regulatory contract while...
The Scottish Government is to press ahead with its controversial plan for a Scottish Futures Trust, which will play a 'key role' in delivering a £35bn investment plan over the next decade, Finance...
The local income tax planned by the Scottish Government is not a local tax but a national levy, which would result in councils becoming the agents of central government, a leading public sector...
Unions representing council workers in Scotland have threatened further strike action after local authority employers refused to increase a 2.5% pay offer.
