The Scottish Government's plan for a local income tax has suffered a further setback after claims by a leading professor of law that it 'almost certainly' breaches the European Charter of Local Self-...
The Scottish Government should be given the same borrowing powers as local authorities, Finance Secretary John Swinney has told a parliamentary committee.
The near-revolt over the 10p tax band reveals how Parliament is beginning to exercise its powers to scrutinise government's tax and spending plans a development vital to democracy, argues Colin...
The economic downturn has heightened business concerns about the new supplementary business rate, the British Chambers of Commerce has told Public Finance .
Ten years of bold reforms and massive investment have failed to have any measurable impact on reducing youth offending, says an authoritative new study.
A change in the way gross domestic product is calculated could get the government off the hook as its fiscal rules are threatened by worsening economic forecasts, experts have suggested.
NHS leaders and experts have defended an apparent end-of-year spending bonanza, without which the health service's surplus for 2007/08 could have vastly outstripped the £1.8bn figure set by the...
A year on from the publication of his report into local government, Sir Michael Lyons tells PF he is disappointed that more progress has not been made. Joseph McHugh reports
A public sector anti-fraud initiative that has detected millions of pounds in benefits overpayments and some 'blatant and shocking' fraud is to be expanded to Whitehall departments this year.
John Healey has signalled a possible major expansion in the role of Local Area Agreements, suggesting they might become the principal mechanism through which central government commissions local...
Official statistics on economic productivity have disclosed the extent to which the British economy is concentrated in the Southeast, prompting fears that the gap between regions might have increased...
With the main political parties all committed to the academies programme, there is a danger of over-expansion, says James Crabtree. Are there more cost-effective solutions to poor educational...
The prime minister has set out 'radical' plans to 'put more power in the hands of patients' treated by the NHS, as a Healthcare Commission hospital patient survey revealed wide variations in patient...
The public finances will be left in increasing disarray next year as a result of Chancellor Alistair Darling's May 13 decision to borrow £2.7bn to fund a tax cut for low- and middle-income households...
Gordon Brown has set out a draft legislative programme combining a new wave of public service reforms with measures aimed at reassuring the public that they will be shielded from the worst of the...
The Housing Corporation is to spend up to £200m purchasing homes on the open market as part of a major expansion of a government scheme for first-time buyers.
The Welsh Assembly Government has launched a new strategy to help the estimated 12,000 young people in Wales not in training, education or employment. It is expected to include legislation to provide...
Government departments pushing for 'personalised' public services need to set up rigorous systems to assess the so far unproven cost-effectiveness of a 'user-driven' approach, MPs have warned.
