An article examined the policy background to the Scottish Government's Working for Families Fund, which offered support to disadvantaged parents seeking to move into, within, or towards employment, education, or training.
Source: Sue Bond, Ronald Mcquaid and Vanesa Fuertes, 'Getting disadvantaged parents into employment: the Working for Families Fund in Scotland', Local Economy, Volume 24 Numbers 6 and 7
Links: Abstract
Date: 2009-Nov
An audit report said that Scotland's public sector was under the greatest financial pressure in the ten years since devolution. The Scottish Government, the Scottish Parliament, and the wider public sector needed to make 'difficult decisions' about competing priorities and how best to spend tighter budgets.
Source: Scotland's Public Finances: Preparing for the future, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report | Audit Scotland press release | Scottish Government press release | BBC report
Date: 2009-Nov
The Scottish Government published a paper on employability and skills that promoted the idea of a single system of support for those in training and those looking for a job. It said that there was a need for policy levers in this area, hitherto reserved to Westminster, to be transferred to Scotland.
Source: Employability and Skills: Taking forward our National Conversation, Scottish Government (0131 556 8400)
Links: Paper | SG press release
Date: 2009-Nov
An article examined the role and impact of migrant labour in rural communities in Scotland. Following European Union enlargement in 2004, rural areas had experienced an influx of labour migrants from central and eastern European countries on an unprecedented scale: although this had provided a major challenge for public service provision and 'social integration', it had also addressed local labour market shortages and created opportunities for regeneration.
Source: Philomena de Lima and Sharon Wright, 'Welcoming migrants? Migrant labour in rural Scotland', Social Policy and Society, Volume 8 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2009-Aug
An article examined the Scottish Government's approach to the use of private finance in public services. It considered the standard private finance initiative (PFI) model, and the 'non-profit distributing' (NPD) model – a variant of PFI developed in Scotland. Although NPD provided the government with an important political benefit, in being seen to safeguard the 'public interest' while working within United Kingdom-wide budgetary constraints, the decision to continue with private finance carried a high economic cost.
Source: Mark Hellowell and Allyson Pollock, 'Non-profit distribution: the Scottish approach to private finance in public services', Social Policy and Society, Volume 8 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2009-Aug
A report by a committee of peers said that the 'Barnett formula' for funding the devolved administrations needed to be changed. It said that an alternative formula based on relative need was a practical possibility.
Source: The Barnett Formula, First Report (Session 2008-09), HC 139, House of Lords Barnett Formula Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2009-Jul
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on the progress of devolution. It said that devolution had delivered real benefits to people across the United Kingdom, providing the right balance between responsibility, accountability, and representation while freeing the constituent parts of the UK to provide innovative local solutions to the problems they faced.
Source: Devolution: A Decade On – Government Response, Cm 7687, Ministry of Justice, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2009-Jul
A report said that a fresh approach to public sector leadership was vital if the Scottish Government's vision of a more successful country were to be realized. It identified a trend of 'celebrity leadership', in which leaders were credited with having all the answers and were rewarded as a result. Instead, Scotland's public sector leaders needed to throw their weight behind collaborative efforts in response to social issues.
Source: Keith Grint et al., Leadership in the Public Sector in Scotland, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report | ESRC press release
Date: 2009-Jun
A report evaluated a fund in Scotland designed to invest in initiatives to improve the employability of disadvantaged parents facing barriers, particularly childcare barriers, to participating in the labour market. The fund was found to have been effective in moving a substantial number of disadvantaged parents into or towards work, education, or training.
Source: Ronald McQuaid et al., Evaluation of the Working for Families Fund (2004-2008), Scottish Government (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2009-Apr
An audit report said that, with better planning and management, the public sector could get better value for money from the £114 million spent by Scotland's central government bodies each year on consultancy services.
Source: Central Government's Use of Consultancy Services: How government works, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report | Audit Scotland press release | BBC report
Date: 2009-Jan