Derek Mackay pledges to protect ‘essential public services’ in Scottish budget
Scottish Finance Secretary Derek Mackay will reveal his tax and spending plans for next year from “under the shadow of the UK Government’s chaotic approach to Brexit”.
Scottish Government
Brexit ‘looms large’ over annual EU fishing quota talks
Fishermen will “never forgive” the SNP if they are forced to remain in the Commons Fisheries Policy (CFP), according to a Tory MSP.
Obesity gap widening among P1 children in Scotland, figures reveal
P1 children from the poorest areas are almost twice as likely to be at risk of obesity as those from the least deprived areas, new figures show.
Unemployment in Scotland at lowest rate on record
Scotland’s unemployment rate has fallen to record low, with new figures showing 3.7% of the population do not have a job.
Conservation charity calls for redefinition of ‘culture’
A conservation charity is calling on the Scottish Government to change how “culture” is defined after research suggested public attitudes are not reflected in current policy.
51% of teachers say work pressure has impacted their mental health, survey finds
Seven out of 10 teachers feel they lack the training to help pupils with mental health problems – while just over half say the pressures of the job have contributed to them suffering from conditions such as depression and anxiety.
Christmas warning to dog lovers not to buy illegally bred puppies
Animal lovers looking to buy a puppy in the run-up to Christmas are being urged to “walk away” if they suspect it has been bred in an illegal puppy farm.
Budget talks with Scottish Government ‘can’t take place yet’, say Greens
Formal budget talks between Finance Secretary Derek Mackay and the Scottish Greens have not yet taken place – with the smaller party insisting its preconditions for supporting the SNP have not been met.
Budget will defend public services, Derek Mackay pledges
Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has vowed to protect “vital public services” and prioritise spending on health and education in his forthcoming Scottish Budget – despite not yet appearing to have the support to get his plans through Holyrood.
North-east councils pay out £3.4 million over benefit cuts
Local authorities in the north-east have paid out £3.4 million to curb the impact of social security reform – new figures reveal.
‘Galling’ £56.9 million spent on Discretionary Housing Payments
More than 100,000 grants have been paid out by the scheme used to mitigate Westminster’s so-called bedroom tax in Scotland, new figures show.
Schools and hospitals ‘obliged’ to provide vegan food, MSPs told
Vegans have warned public-sector organisations could be taken to court unless more is done to provide plant-based options.
Rise in domestic abuse incidents in north-east
Domestic abuse in the north-east has risen by 40% in the past 10 years, with more than 12 incidents reported per day across the region.
CBI Scotland warn of ‘long-term damage’ to economy over income tax
Scottish income tax rates must remain competitive with the rest of the UK or risk “long-term damage” to the economy, CBI Scotland has warned ahead of the Budget.
Fuel poverty gap widens between urban and rural Scotland
More than two fifths of Scots living in rural areas are estimated to be suffering from fuel poverty, compared to just one in five of those living in towns and cities.
560 people who took their own lives died within a week of leaving A&E
One in five of the 1,540 people who attended A&E in the three months prior to taking their own lives died within two days of leaving hospital, new figures show.
Children drinking more than 600,000 sugary drinks a day, charity claims
Children across Scotland consume almost 4.4 million soft drinks a week – the equivalent of more than 600,000 a day – new research has estimated.
Age of criminal responsibility in Scotland should be 16, say Lib Dems
The Scottish Liberal Democrats have launched a bid to change the law to increase the age of criminal responsibility in Scotland to 16.
Gordon Brown in pre-Budget call over NHS ‘underfunding’
Former prime minister Gordon Brown has called for an independent review into the long-term future of the NHS in Scotland as he accused the Scottish Government of having “shortchanged” the service over the past decade.
Aberdeen council could need more cash for junk food crackdown
A council is expected to call for more cash from the Government if new measures to crackdown on junk food are introduced.
SPONSORED: The Scottish Government’s low-cost initiative helps people into home ownership
With house prices continuing to rise across Scotland, many first-time buyers are unable to save up sufficient deposits and obtain mortgages to take their first step onto the housing ladder.
Cash boost to make ‘real difference’ to rough sleepers
The Scottish Government has announced £50,000 of cash to provide more emergency beds for rough sleepers in Edinburgh this winter.
New alcohol and drugs strategy promises ‘innovative approach’ to help addicts
Ministers are pledging to take an “innovative” approach to tackling drug and alcohol addiction in Scotland, even if it makes some people “uncomfortable”.
NHS Scotland chief executive to leave role in February
The chief executive of NHS Scotland will step down early next year after more than five years in the role.
Most marginalised ‘hardest hit’ by UK Government policies – report
Some of the most marginalised people in society are being worst hit by a combination of tax, spending and local services cuts, a study has suggested.
Number of overweight new mothers ‘deeply concerning’
Almost half of pregnant women in Scotland are either overweight or obese, new figures show.
Treatment time guarantee breaches ‘up more than 120% in two years’
The number of patients waiting longer than the Scottish Government’s legally binding 12-week target time for treatment has increased by more than 120% in two years, according to new figures.
Poverty commission recommends extra cash to help low-income families in holidays
Cash transfers should be given to Scotland’s poorest families to help them cope during the school holidays, it has been recommended.
Plans to track prices of posting parcels across Scotland unveiled
The cost of sending parcels is set to become more transparent with measures to track delivery prices across Scotland.
‘Almost nothing true’ in PM’s Brexit letter – Sturgeon
Nicola Sturgeon has hit out at Theresa May’s public plea for Brexit support, saying “almost nothing in this desperate letter is true”.