Reading Time: 5 minutes This guest blog by the Independent Monitoring Authority seeks to set out how it operates and to inform MSPs and their staff about how they can work with the IMA to ensure citizens’ rights are upheld.
A Noble Quest: Understanding devolved competence after Brexit
Reading Time: 7 minutes This blog explains some of the complexities of understanding devolved competence post-Brexit. It covers new legislation and frameworks that affect the interpretation of devolved competence.
Guest blog: Climate change plan update and Scottish woodland creation: getting the balance right
Reading Time: 6 minutes Woodlands are a key element of the Scottish Government’s climate change plans, but getting multiple benefits is more complicated than planting trees.
Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill – parliamentary consideration prior to Stage 3
Reading Time: 5 minutes This briefing summarises the background to the Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill and developments prior to Stage 3.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill – Parliamentary consideration prior to Stage 3
Reading Time: 6 minutes A look at stage 2 of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill
Budget 2021-22 – a tripartite deal
Reading Time: 3 minutes This blog discusses and summarises the deal which allowed for passage of the Budget Bill for 2021-22.
Scottish tourism and COVID-19: what’s the outlook for the sector?
Reading Time: 6 minutes SPICe has published a comprehensive briefing looking at the impact of COVID-19 on Scotland’s tourism sector. It focusses on the scale of impact, business support,
Infrastructure investment: “locking in” a low carbon economy?
Reading Time: 5 minutes The Scottish Government plans to invest over £6 billion on infrastructure such as homes, roads and rail in 2021-22. This blogpost explores what we know of this infrastructure’s likely effect on Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions.
UK Budget 2021: paying for the pandemic (but not yet)
Reading Time: 4 minutes This blog considers yesterday’s UK Budget and the implications for Scotland’s public finances next year.
COVID-19 Barnetts for 2020-21 – the final reckoning
Reading Time: 3 minutes The Scottish Government received a total of £9.7 billion in COVID-19 Barnett consequentials for 2020-21. This blog sets out how they have been used and looks ahead to the evolving picture for 2021-22.