A report by a committee of MPs said that a welcome reduction in poverty had taken place in Scotland over the previous ten years, particularly among groups such as pensioners and children. But the government was not doing enough to 'poverty proof' all of its policies and to exploit the available opportunities to integrate services.
Source: Poverty in Scotland, Second Report (Session 2007-08), HC 128, House of Commons Scottish Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | New Start report
Date: 2007-Dec
An article examined the spatial characteristics of the relationship between deprivation and mortality rates in Scotland. Deprivation was found to affect mortality levels not only within the same areas but also in spatially proximate areas.
Source: Sanjeev Sridharan, Helena Tunstall, Richard Lawder and Richard Mitchell, 'An exploratory spatial data analysis approach to understanding the relationship between deprivation and mortality in Scotland', Social Science & Medicine Volume 65 Issue 9
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Nov
The Scottish Government began consultation on the principles of charging to apply to water and sewerage charges during the regulatory period 2010-2014. It proposed that the existing principles of charging should be maintained.
Source: Paying for Water Services 2010-14 A consultation on the principles of charging for water services, Scottish Government (web publication only)
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2007-Nov
A report examined the 'stock' of incapacity benefit claimants in Glasgow and the rest of Scotland, and the 'on' and 'off' flow. Glasgow had a particular problem in terms of the absolute size of its IB claimant population (61,850 in 2005), and the fact that this population represented such a high proportion of the working-age population (16.4 per cent in 2005).
Source: Judith Brown et al., Turning the Tap Off! Incapacity benefit in Glasgow and Scotland – Trends over the past five years, Glasgow Centre for Population Health (0141 221 9439)
Links: Report | Appendices | Briefing paper
Date: 2007-Aug
A study of voting in the Scottish Parliament election of May 2007 found that the highest proportion of rejected constituency votes came in the most deprived areas. More than 140,000 papers were spoiled, compared to 15,000 in 1999.
Source: Christopher Carman and James Mitchell, An Examination of Ballot Rejection in the Scottish Parliamentary Election of 2007, Department of Government/University of Strathclyde (0141 548 2733)
Links: Report | BBC report
Date: 2007-Jun
A report said that children living in poverty in Scotland were being denied access to basic services such as swimming pools, youth clubs, dentists, and local shops. Even when a service was 'free', children were denied access because they could not afford the travel, equipment, or something to eat while they were out.
Source: Fiona Wager et al., Serving Children? The impact of poverty on children's experiences of public, private and voluntary services, Glasgow Centre for the Child & Society/Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde (0141 3305923)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-May
Campaigners set out an agenda for action on poverty in Scotland, based on research and consultation with a range of groups and organizations.
Source: For Social Justice: An agenda for action on poverty in Scotland, Poverty Alliance (0141 353 0440)
Links: Agenda
Date: 2007-Apr
A report said that insulation, micro-renewables, district heating, and income maximization were among the key measures needed in the next phase of plans to meet the target to end fuel poverty in Scotland.
Source: Living with a Warm Home and a Carbon Footprint: Recommendations for ending fuel poverty in Scotland, Energy Action Scotland (0141 221 2788)
Links: Report | EAS press release
Date: 2007-Apr
A study gave those experiencing poverty in Scotland the opportunity to identify the issues that affected them. Low income, whether from benefits or low-paid work, was central to the experience of poverty. People made difficult choices daily, in particular relating to fuel prices. Lack of access to basic financial services, such as affordable credit, had a negative impact on many participants' lives. People faced problems accessing various services, including further education, healthcare, and advice services. Participants wanted to improve the areas they lived in and to be consulted about improvements.
Source: Mhoraig Green, Voices of People Experiencing Poverty in Scotland: Everyone matters?, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | JRF Findings | EAS press release
Date: 2007-Mar
Researchers evaluated 11 pilot projects in Scotland set up to provide money advice to vulnerable groups. There was no 'one size fits all' approach: advice should be delivered in a flexible way which met the needs of the client groups.
Source: Morag Gillespie, Louise Dobbie, Gareth Mulvey with Yvonne Gallacher, Money Advice for Vulnerable Groups: Final evaluation report, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Date: 2007-Mar
A report said that almost a fifth of the population of Scotland was living in poverty, including nearly a quarter of children.
Source: John McKendrick, Gerry Mooney, John Dickie and Peter Kelly (eds.), Poverty in Scotland 2007, CPAG in Scotland (0141 552 3303)
Links: BBC report
Date: 2007-Mar
A Scottish think-tank report said that the ageing 'crisis' was a myth, and that an older population did not represent an economic 'time bomb'. But working patterns for older people did need to become more flexible; and government, business, and citizens all needed to take urgent action to increase the numbers of older people in the workforce.
Source: Growing Older and Wiser Together: A futures view on positive ageing, Scotland?s Futures Forum (0131 348 5310)
Links: Report | Scottish Parliament press release | BBC report
Date: 2007-Jan
A report examined outcomes from the social inclusion partnership programme which was established in Scotland in 1999. There was a general lack of meaningful baseline data at local level against which partnerships - or consultants carrying out evaluations - could measure performance. Partnerships were poor at determining whether the projects that they funded were delivering the agreed outcomes ? although a small number did develop robust project appraisal systems which were effective.
Source: ODS Consulting, An Overview of the Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) Programme, Communities Scotland (0131 313 0044)
Date: 2007-Jan
The Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 was given Royal assent. The Act was designed to modernize legislation on bankruptcy in Scotland, and achieve a better balance between the rights of debtors and creditors. It offered more to help people who experienced debt problems, and to help people who were overcome by debt to start again: but it also offered better protection for the public against those who tried to abuse the system.
Source: Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007, Scottish Parliament, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act
Date: 2007-Jan
A report evaluated the social inclusion partnerships (established in Scotland in 1999) which were thematically focused, reflecting a concern with the social exclusion of specific social groups rather than with areas of deprivation. There was a more diverse range of approaches employed by thematic partnerships than was seen within area-based partnerships. The introduction of thematic partnerships brought a new focus on partnership working, bringing together a wider range of partners than had previously worked together to address the needs of specific excluded groups.
Source: Suzi Macpherson with Robina Goodlad and Carol McKenzie, Learning Lessons from Thematic Social Inclusion Partnerships (SIPs), Communities Scotland (0131 313 0044)
Date: 2007-Jan
A report examined how successful the combined efforts of the United Kingdom and Scottish governments had been in tackling poverty in Scotland.
Source: John McKendrick, Gerry Mooney, John Dickie and Peter Kelly (eds.), Poverty in Scotland 2007, Child Poverty Action Group (020 7837 7979) with Scottish Poverty Information Unit, Open University, and Poverty Alliance
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Jan
