Scotland’s independent think tank
Last week, the UK government sanctioned one of the largest undeveloped oil fields in the UK- the Rosebank field with an estimated 300 million barrels of recoverable oil. A few weeks ago the government made the most significant changes in policy from a UK party with respect to climate change and energy changing commitments on …
On the same day that the First Minister announced his Programme for Government, the British Prime Minister announced an end to the de facto ban on onshore windfarms in England. That the announcement from Rishi Sunak was more material than anything Humza Yousaf had to say about energy shows how low the bar has been …
Where is energy in the Programme for Government? – Stuart Paton Read More »
We are currently in the eye of a perfect storm in providing services for our communities, be that within public, private or voluntary sector spheres. Services are cracking, many with insufficient funding. Processes are not fit for purposes in many instances – especially around commissioning and procuring services. We are seeing vast cost increases at …
Procurement : a provocation The wrong tool for the wrong job? – Helen Chambers Read More »
It is hopefully understood by all politicians in Scotland, if not yet by most of the wider public, that Scotland faces a serious demographic challenge. Our population is rapidly ageing, and our rates of fertility and immigration are currently too low to prevent an impending decline in our numbers. There will soon not be enough …
Domestic policies deter people from moving to Scotland – Roy Leckie Read More »
Migrants’ own decisions are the missing piece in Scotland’s migration puzzle Last Wednesday the Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers, which is housed within British Future, held an event in Edinburgh jointly with Reform Scotland on the country’s immigration challenges. Emma Roddick MSP, Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees gave a thought-provoking keynote speech explaining that …
How can Scotland attract more migrants – Heather Rolfe Read More »
The well attended All Energy Conference took place in Glasgow a couple of weeks ago- a wide range of keynote addresses, presentations and lots of big pieces of kit covering wind, solar, hydrogen, marine renewables, storage. But not ALL energy – where was the discussion on nuclear? There seems to be a complete lack of …
Humza Yousaf’s first few weeks have hardly been quiet. Last week he added to the cacophony, by teeing up a big change in SNP social policy. The SNP has long trumpeted its universal benefits: free tuition, childcare, prescriptions, baby boxes, plus laptops, school meals, bicycles and bus transport for young people. The First Minister signalled …
Humza Yousaf takes a massive policy gamble – Gordon Hector Read More »
Scotland’s First Minister and Priorities – a request How many priorities can the new First Minister cope with? In plain English a ‘priority’ is something you attend to first because of its importance or urgency. Which means that once you have more than a few, they aren’t ‘priorities’ any more – just another item in …
Citizen-empowering reform of personal data must be a priority – Alan Mitchell Read More »
Whatever you think about Scottish independence, the chatter of a referendum has become a fact of life. Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) may hold the key to resolving Scotland’s constitutional quagmire. A forgotten belief of the founding father and third president is that he did not consider the U.S. Constitution as permanent or sacrosanct as it is …
Is it time for some Jeffersonian thinking? – Alastair Stewart Read More »
The governments of most countries have budget deficits and increasing national debts. The taxes they currently collect are unable to meet the costs of health and welfare provision of their older people and for the care and education of their young ones. The majority of tax revenues are imposed on earned incomes and trade (Income …
The case for an Annual Ground Rent – Duncan Pickard Read More »