The Scottish Government has been accused of failing to take a strategic approach to public finances, with delays in publishing key documents giving the impression of ministerial inertia.
“Power grab” proposals to centralise social care services in Scotland could see thousands of staff moved to a national body, and the plans face searing criticism from council leaders and unions.
Manifestos from Scotland’s largest parties do not honestly reckon with the devolved government’s likely financial situation in the coming years, according to Institute for Fiscal Studies researchers.
Legislation to compensate Scottish councils for the loss of business rates revenue in the light of the coronavirus pandemic has been approved by the Scottish Parliament.
Stephen Boyle was nominated as auditor general by members of the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday afternoon to replace Caroline Gardner, who has held the position for the last eight years, subject to...
The Scottish Government is to press for greater borrowing powers to deal with the increasing fiscal risk arising from the devolution of tax and welfare powers, after it borrowed £200m to pay for its...
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.
Ministers should stop trying to impose their will on Scotland’s Budget, and accept a process that takes better account of Holyrood’s tendency for minority government, the co-leader of the...
Scotland’s first Budget since Holyrood gained control of income tax has passed its key parliamentary test, after an 11th hour deal between finance secretary Derek Mackay and the Scottish Greens to...
Scottish auditor general Caroline Gardner has today raised concerns about the weak financial leadership in the country’s policing bodies and stated their continuing poor financial management was...
Scottish finance secretary Derek Mackay has backed down on a bitterly opposed plan to commandeer £100m of council tax receipts into implementing national schools policy, but has been told by smaller...
A tripartite review of Holyrood’s budget processes to prepare for its new devolved tax powers will go beyond that remit and look at future proofing the Scottish Parliament’s processes...
CIPFA has called on the Scottish Government to create a framework for managing devolved taxes that would provide transparency in its plans for revenue raising.
Scotland’s auditor general has said she intends to keep a close eye on the Scottish government’s highly controversial plan to allocate every child in Scotland a public sector “named person” from...
Scotland should use the devolution of powers over tax and social security as an opportunity to create a single government department to run both systems, an independent think-tank has proposed.
A new Scottish social security agency, an education reform summit, and a 50-50 gender balance law for public boards are among the priorities for the Scottish National Party’s third term in government...
Scotland’s new devolved tax powers should be used to boost competitiveness, incentivise growth and stimulate enterprise, according to the report today from a commission set up by the Conservatives.
The remit of the Scottish Fiscal Commission should be expanded to include independent forecasts of devolved tax revenues and examinations of the Scottish Government’s performance against its...
Loneliness should rank equally with poverty and poor housing in determining public health priorities, according to a Scottish Parliament report published today, said to be the first of its kind in...
Scotland’s health boards may be diverting money from important clinical priorities in order to avoid marginal shortfalls in Scottish Government performance targets, according to a report...
Family carers for vulnerable children in Scotland are likely to be left worse off under Universal Credit because of the UK government’s failure to take proper account of Scotland’s different legal...
David Cameron’s English Votes for English Laws policy will leave Scotland at increased fiscal disadvantage, in spite of the Scotland Bill’s devolution of income tax to Holyrood, according...
