Reading Time: 6 minutesScotland has the lowest life expectancy and healthy life expectancy (HLE) in the UK and the lowest life expectancy in Western Europe. Life expectancy and
Author: SPICe
Groundhog Day – the return of EU law?
Reading Time: 5 minutesThe recent UK-EU summit saw commitments to work towards agreements which would involve the United Kingdom dynamically aligning with some EU legislation. This blog explores what dynamic alignment with EU law might mean in practice.
Climate change and the Public Audit Committee
Reading Time: 13 minutesA look at the role of the Scottish Parliament Public Audit Committee and the work of the Auditor General for Scotland with respect to climate change.
Guest blog: Where does lived experience sit in the work of the Parliament?
Reading Time: 7 minutesThis guest blog introduces and shares interim findings from a SPICe fellowship by Dr Clementine Hill O’Connor (University of Glasgow) on the role of lived experience within scrutiny at the Scottish Parliament.
Climate Change and Scottish Parliament committees: Finance and Public Administration Committee
Reading Time: 10 minutesThis blog looks at how the work of the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee relates to the delivery of climate change policy in Scotland.
The climate jigsaw part one: the general framework of devolution and climate change
Reading Time: 7 minutesA look at the division between devolved and reserved powers and responsibilities for the matters relevant to tackling climate change.
The climate jigsaw part two: sectoral issues in devolution and climate change
Reading Time: 12 minutesA look at devolution and climate change focusing on the most significant sectors where action is needed to achieve targets.
Regulatory Autonomy in Post-Brexit Waters: lessons from the UK-EU Sandeel Dispute
Reading Time: 7 minutesThis blog examines the outcome of the EU’s legal challenge to the UK and Scottish Governments decision to close North Sea Waters to sandeel fishing to protect vulnerable seabird populations.
Pulling back the screens on NHS performance reporting
Reading Time: 4 minutesA look at NHS performance reporting.
The new UK-EU fisheries agreement: what’s the catch?
Reading Time: 12 minutesOn 19 May 2025, the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) held a summit at which they agreed on a ‘renewed agenda for EU-UK cooperation.’ This blog post explains the nature of the political agreement on fisheries struck by the EU and the UK, how it compares with arrangements between the UK and other coastal states, and what happens next.