A Scottish Government report examined community council activity and support. Community councils were created to ascertain and express the views of the community to the local authority and other public bodies. The report said that 84 per cent of possible community councils were active and there was a potential relationship between a lack of activity and the level of deprivation in the area. The report noted some differences between councils, such as in the method and level of funding and the levels of activity, and proposed further work to examine the differences.
Source: Survey of Local Authority Community Councils, Scottish Government
Date: 2013-Dec
A public Bill was published, designed to enable 'supremacy of the sovereignty' of the United Kingdom parliament in relation to its membership of the European Union. The bill would enable the 'disapplication' of parts of the United Kingdom's obligations under European Union legislation, as discussed by the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee.
Source: United Kingdom Parliament (Sovereignty) Bill, TSO
Links: Bill
Date: 2013-Nov
A report by a committee of MPs said that the existing European Committee system should be enhanced, made recommendations about scheduling and conduct of debates in the House of Commons, and suggested the creation of a new session of 'EU Questions'. It said that the United Kingdom should introduce a form of national veto over European Union legislative proposals, and then explore the 'disapplication' of parts of the existing European Union obligations.
Source: Reforming the European Scrutiny System in the House of Commons, Twenty-fourth Report (Session 2013–14), HC 109-I, House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee, TSO
Links: Report Vol I | Report Vol II | Report Vol III
Date: 2013-Nov
A government report set out the case for Scottish independence. It covered a range of issues that included: finance and the economy; health, well-being, and social protection; education, skills, and employment; international relations and defence; justice, security, and home affairs; environment, rural Scotland, energy, and resources; culture, communications, and digital; and democracy and government.
Source: Scotland's Future: Your guide to an independent Scotland, Scottish Government
Links: Report | Summary | Scottish Government press release | Law Society of Scotland press release | RSS press release | Unite press release | Daily Mail report | Guardian report | IPPR report | Public Finance report | Telegraph report | Third Sector report
Date: 2013-Nov
A government report examined the potential position of Scotland within the European Union, post-independence.
Source: Scotland in the European Union, Scottish Government
Date: 2013-Nov
A report examined the consequences of Scottish independence for the United Kingdom research environment, including publicly funded institutions. It said that the research base was important to the United Kingdom's (including Scotland's) innovation and economic success, and highlighted ways in which Scottish research benefited from its wider connections.
Source: Scotland Analysis: Science and research, Cm 8728, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, TSO
Links: Report | DBIS press release | Universities Scotland press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2013-Nov
A government report examined the potential position of Scotland within the European Union, post-independence.
Source: Scotland in the European Union, Scottish Government
Date: 2013-Nov
A report outlined proposals for a post-independence tax system for Scotland.
Source: Principles for a Modern and Efficient Tax System in an Independent Scotland, Fiscal Commission Working Group, Scottish Government
Links: Report | Summary | Scottish Government press release | BBC report
Date: 2013-Nov
A think-tank report examined the potential long-run fiscal pressures for an independent Scotland, how these would differ from those facing the United Kingdom, and the size of the fiscal consolidation that might be required to ensure sustainability. It said that there was uncertainty surrounding future borrowing and debt in Scotland, but the analysis suggested that a significant further fiscal tightening would be required beyond that already announced by the United Kingdom government. The report said that these fiscal pressures should be considered alongside any discussions about post-independence restructuring of Scottish taxation and public spending.
Source: Michael Amior, Rowena Crawford, and Gemma Tetlow, Fiscal Sustainability of an Independent Scotland, Institute for Fiscal Studies
Links: Report | IFS press release | Scottish government press release | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2013-Nov
A government report outlined the implications of Scottish independence for economic policy choices.
Source: Building Security and Creating Opportunity: Economic policy choices in an independent Scotland, Scottish Government
Links: Report | Summary | Scottish Government press release | BBC report | Telegraph report
Date: 2013-Nov
A report outlined proposals for post-independence fiscal rules for Scotland.
Source: Fiscal Rules and Fiscal Commissions, Fiscal Commission Working Group, Scottish Government
Links: Report | Summary | Scottish Government press release | BBC report
Date: 2013-Nov
A United Kingdom government report examined the potential consequences of Scottish independence for security issues.
Source: Scotland Analysis: Security, Home Office
Links: Report | Home Office press release
Date: 2013-Oct
An audit report in Scotland said that there were significant variations between councils in charges for services. It said that charges should be consistent, clear and easily explained to the public. It also said that councils should compare their charges with others and be able to explain any significant differences. It made recommendations for good practice.
Source: Charging for Services: Are you getting it right?, Audit Scotland
Links: Report | Audit Scotland press release | BBC report
Date: 2013-Oct
The Scottish Government published details of its legislative programme for 2013-14, including 13 new Bills. A Community Empowerment and Renewal Bill would enable communities to take ownership of public land and buildings, and give them a stronger role in the development and delivery of local services. Legislation would also be introduced to secure in statute the Scottish Welfare Fund, which helped vulnerable individuals and families in need.
Source: Empowering Scotland: The government s programme for Scotland 2013-2014, Scottish Government
Links: Report | Scottish Government press release
Date: 2013-Sep
A report examined how well-being was measured in Scotland, and what needed to be done to embed well-being into Scottish Government policies. It called on the Scottish Government to legislate to ensure that well-being was at the heart of all government policy.
Source: Jennifer Wallace, Shifting the Dial in Scotland: How Scotland performs on wellbeing and what it should do next, Carnegie UK Trust
Links: Report | Carnegie press release
Date: 2013-Jun
A report by a committee of MPs said that devolution to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland was being carried out in a 'piecemeal' fashion and without any overarching vision about the future of the United Kingdom, in a way that risked leaving the union fragmented and disorganized. There was growing unhappiness in England about the failure of successive governments to consider the impact of devolution on England's needs.
Source: Do We Need a Constitutional Convention for the UK?, Fourth Report (Session 2012-13), HC 371, House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | Additional written evidence | LGA press release | SNP press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2013-Apr
An article examined the 'paradox' that citizens of European countries wanted their regional governments to do more and yet seemed reluctant to embrace the logical consequences of regional control, namely inter-regional policy variation and limited state-wide intervention in policy provision.
Source: Ailsa Henderson, Charlie Jeffery, Daniel Wincott, and Richard Wyn Jones, 'Reflections on the "devolution paradox": a comparative examination of multilevel citizenship', Regional Studies, Volume 47 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Mar
The coalition government published a paper setting out the benefits of devolution to Scotland in its existing form, and the legal and practical implications of full independence.
Source: Devolution and the Implications of Scottish Independence, Cm 8554, Scotland Office, TSO
Links: Paper | Hansard | BBC report
Date: 2013-Feb
A think-tank report said that the mismatch between the financial framework of devolution and the constitutional powers and political accountability of devolved governments had reached a point where it was no longer sustainable. It recommended a package of devolved taxes, including personal income tax and an assigned share of VAT, to balance the need to manage devolved budgets, relate funding to devolved services, and avoid adverse fiscal outcomes. It also proposed institutional and administrative changes, and identified areas for further research.
Source: Alan Trench, Funding Devo More: Fiscal options for strengthening the union, Institute for Public Policy Research
Links: Report | Public Finance report
Date: 2013-Jan
An article examined the impact of devolution on social welfare for older people, and on the associated administration of age equality. Although divergent practice between devolved areas might be seen as unjust, the autonomy to determine local priorities had fostered progressive practices that 'went beyond the prescriptions of the central state'.
Source: Paul Chaney, 'Equality and territorial (in-)justice? Exploring the impact of devolution on social welfare for older people in the UK', Critical Social Policy, Volume 33 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jan
