News Archive

Child poverty in Scotland falls

New statistics show that child poverty in Scotland has fallen, in contrast to the rest of the UK.   Annual statistics published today show that compared with the previous year's statistics, relative child poverty in 2023-24 reduced from 26% to 22% in Scotland while absolute child poverty fell from 23% to 17%.  

Reform urgently needed to tackle precarious health and social care finances

Community health and social care finances are increasingly precarious.  Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) must urgently work with their partners in the NHS and councils to reform how they deliver services to achieve financial sustainability.  

Spring Statement heralds further boost to growth in Scotland

Scottish Secretary welcomes Chancellor's £2.2billion defence budget boost to create more jobs and opportunities in the sector as part of Plan for Change.   Chancellor Rachel Reeves this week pledged a new era of security and national renewal as she delivered a Spring Statement to kickstart economic growth, protect working people and keep Britain safe.  

Still unfinished business: BTC asks Government to ‘reflect and revise' Post Office Horizon redress plan

The Business and Trade Committee yesterday took the unusual step of asking the Government to ‘reflect and revise' its response to its January 1st report on finally achieving long-delayed justice and redress for victims of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal.  It has been described as the greatest miscarriage of justice in UK history.  

OBR concludes planning reforms will bring housebuilding to its highest level in 40 years

OBR forecast concludes housebuilding will be at its highest level in over 40 years a result of UK government's planning reforms by 2029/30.   This brings UK closer to Plan for Growth 1.5 million homes target.  

Lower-income households are set to become £500 a year poorer over the Parliament

The combination of a weak economic outlook and benefit cuts that fall disproportionately on lower-income families means that living standards are on track to fall.   This will happen over the next five years for the poorest half of households by £500 on average, according to the Resolution Foundation's overnight analysis of Spring Statement 2025.  

Uphill struggle ahead for Govt's use of AI as PAC report reveals the scale of the challenge

Out of date tech and poor-quality data put public sector adoption at risk as public trust jeopardised over transparency in use of algorithms according to the Public Accounts Committee.   Significant challenges lie in the way of Government's plans to support public sector adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).  

Standard smartphones to receive signal from space

People in the UK could soon be able to make satellite calls from their everyday smartphones, under proposals announced by Ofcom today.   UK first country in Europe to move ahead with innovative plans for standard smartphones to make satellite calls.  

Stronger growth is not causing inflation - TUC analysis of OECD data

International evidence clears the way for the Bank of England to cut rates faster in support of higher growth, says TUC New analysis of OECD data - published today (TBC) by the TUC - finds that there is no international evidence of higher consumer spending and faster growth leading to inflation over the last three years.   The analysis looks at data on consumer spending, GDP growth and inflation for 36 OECD countries across the three years from Q3 2021 to Q3 2024.  

The UK's nuclear deterrent relies on US support - but there are no other easy alternatives

Now that Washington is potentially an unreliable ally, the UK needs to revisit its nuclear strategy.  But going alone is costly, and partnering with France poses its own risks.