Reading Time: 2 minutesYear-to-year comparisons of the budget can be complicated. Budgets often change throughout the year and what is actually spent can differ from what was originally proposed. Throughout the
Category: Economy & Finance
The Strategic Integrated Impact Assessment – turning a corner in equalities budgeting?
Reading Time: 8 minutesThis blogs sets out SPICe’s analysis of the Scottish Government’s Strategic Integrated Impact Assessment, and compares it to its predecessor, the Equality and Fairer Scotland Budget Statement.
Scottish Government responses to pre-Budget scrutiny: evidence of action, but few outcomes?
Reading Time: 9 minutesThis blog looks back at the recommendations made by committees during pre-budget scrutiny 2026-27 and the impact of committee scrutiny on the Scottish Budget 2026-27.
Labour market update: January 2026
Reading Time: < 1 minuteSources: UK Labour Market: January 2026 and Labour market in the regions of the UK: January 2026 For constituency-level labour market statistics, please visit the labour market in
Initial reactions to the final Budget of Session 6
Reading Time: 16 minutesThis blog highlights key messages from the Scottish Government’s 2026-27 Budget and the accompanying Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts.
Buy now, pay later: borrowing and the Scottish Budget
Reading Time: 9 minutesThis blog gives an overview of the various forms of borrowing the Scottish Government can undertake, and the expected impact on the Scottish Budget.
Budget Bingo: a full house? – key themes in pre-budget scrutiny for 2026-27
Reading Time: 11 minutesThis blog looks at the common themes across committees’ recommendations and conclusions arising from pre-budget scrutiny 2025-26
Labour market update: December 2025
Reading Time: < 1 minuteSources: UK Labour Market: December 2025 and Labour market in the regions of the UK: December 2025 For constituency-level labour market statistics, please visit the labour market in Scotland
Year-to-year comparisons of the Scottish Budget
Reading Time: 3 minutesThis blog explains why year-to-year comparisons of the Scottish budget can be tricky – and why this matters for budget scrutiny.
How can human rights responsibilities be used to frame budget scrutiny?
Reading Time: 7 minutesThis blog explores the AAAQ framework analysis approach to human rights spending taken by the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee in a collaborative budget scrutiny workshop supported by the SHRC.