Smartphones are making our kids smarter – Dare to be different Scotland
Deep in Impacts of digital media use on children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing: evidence review published today: The review has identified important methodological limitations, particularly regarding causality and the direction of associations between digital media use and mental health and wellbeing. Yet in the same paragraph, this: Whilst these limitations warrant consideration, the literature suggests that there may be a role for policy interventions to reduce potential harms and support positive digital experiences among children and young people. https://www.gov.scot/publications/impacts-digital-media-use-children-young-peoples-mental-health-wellbeing-evidence-review/ For more than 50 years now, I’ve been interested in, taught about and researched media effects and found … Continue reading Smartphones are making our kids smarter – Dare to be different Scotland
SNP praised as 38% fewer wait for key diagnostic tests than in NHS England
From NHS waiting times – diagnostics Waits for key diagnostic tests, published today: At 30 September 2026, the total waiting list size (number of ongoing waits) for the eight key diagnostic tests combined was 111,561. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/nhs-waiting-times-diagnostics/diagnostic-waiting-times-waits-for-key-diagnostic-tests-10-november-2026/ The statistics are not based on identical data but are broadly comparable and, of course, you can be sure that if that comparison were to turn out badly for Scotland, we’d hear all about it: ‘SNP accused of risking thousands with delayed testing!’ All things being equal with 10.5 times the population, NHS England might be expected to be delaying 1.1 million? From NHS … Continue reading SNP praised as 38% fewer wait for key diagnostic tests than in NHS England
Soft on crime!? Scotland has barely a third of the reported rape cases in England & Wales but still tries more than three times the percentage and then even convicts more!
From Conviction rate data for cases of rape and attempted rape, published today, the conviction rate for rape or attempted rape single charge has risen from 24% in 2020/2021 to 25.5% in 2022/2023, the most recent year for which figures are available, a 6.25% improvement. For a charge of at least one rape or attempted rape with other charges, the figures improved from 48.4% to 55.8%, a 15.3% improvement. Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/conviction-rate-data-for-rape/ The percentage conviction rate in England & Wales is often higher than in Scotland but this is where, as with drug deaths, you need your sceptical wits about you. … Continue reading Soft on crime!? Scotland has barely a third of the reported rape cases in England & Wales but still tries more than three times the percentage and then even convicts more!
This BBC senior manager who did not know about Jimmy Savile got four times the pension pot for less service than BBC Scotland’s 44 year-service NHS Scotland victim today
From BBC Scotland today, headlining, the above and: An NHS executive has received a near £400,000 redundancy pay-off after retiring from a health board, new figures show. Following a 44-year career in the health service, Mary Morgan retired as chief executive of NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) in May. But it has now been revealed Morgan received a £378,000 payment “under contractual redundancy terms” as part of an exit that came after NHS NSS was merged into a new quango called Public Services Delivery (PSD) Scotland in April. A PSD Scotland spokesperson said Morgan retired after an “exceptional career” and … Continue reading This BBC senior manager who did not know about Jimmy Savile got four times the pension pot for less service than BBC Scotland’s 44 year-service NHS Scotland victim today
Six years later, The Times catches up with our observation that YouGov has been ‘gaslighting’ us for years
In December 2020, six years ago, I noted YouGov polls reporting small Yes leads of 1 and 5% while all around were reporting on average a 7.5% lead. https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2020/12/03/dont-fear-the-next-yougov-poll-on-indepedence/ I wrote: It’s all down to their sampling bias. and suggested this might be a factor in preferring that sampling bias over those six years: YouGov was founded in the UK in May 2000 by Stephan Shakespeare and future MP Nadhim Zahawi (above) at the time both active in the British Conservative Party. In 2001 they engaged BBC political analyst Peter Kellner, who became chairman, and then from 2007–2016, President. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouGov#:~:text=YouGov%20was%20founded%20in%20the,from%202007%E2%80%932016%2C%20President … Continue reading Six years later, The Times catches up with our observation that YouGov has been ‘gaslighting’ us for years
Scotland invests 10 times as much per head in supporting families to prevent homelessness happening in the first place
From Support for families at risk of homelessness Published 05 November 2026 09:52 £2 million funding boost for housing payment scheme. A scheme helping low-income households avoid homelessness will receive an additional £2 million this year. The Discretionary Housing Payment scheme provides direct financial support to low-income households struggling with housing costs and helps people to retain their tenancy in the rented sector. The additional funding takes this year’s investment in the scheme to a record £117 million. This will help an estimated 100,000 households in Scotland sustain their tenancies. The scheme is the main way the Scottish Government mitigates … Continue reading Scotland invests 10 times as much per head in supporting families to prevent homelessness happening in the first place
Unique to Scotland – action to ensure domestic abuse survivors not unfairly burdened by council tax debt
From Supporting victims of domestic abuse published today: Action is being taken to ensure domestic abuse survivors are not unfairly burdened by council tax debt. The Scottish Government will create a statutory exception to joint and several liability rules to protect those who have faced domestic abuse, with a consultation launching as the first step in the process of reform. This will mean that, where relevant criteria are met, survivors would only be liable for 50% of their liability for both council tax and water & sewerage charges. They would also be able to seek support from the local authority … Continue reading Unique to Scotland – action to ensure domestic abuse survivors not unfairly burdened by council tax debt
Deaths by suicide in the most deprived areas of Scotland have fallen by over 40%
From Probable Suicides 2025 Published 03 November 2026 09:30 New figures are lowest since 2017. Minister for Mental Wellbeing Maree Todd has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling the underlying factors and inequalities which cause suicide, as the number of deaths by suicide reach their lowest level in the past eight years. National Records of Scotland figures show that, whilst rates of probable deaths by suicide in the most deprived areas of Scotland have fallen by over 40% since 2001, the rates of probable deaths by suicide were still 2.7 times higher in the most deprived areas in 2025 than … Continue reading Deaths by suicide in the most deprived areas of Scotland have fallen by over 40%
AHOY SCOTLAND: FULL STEAM ASTERN!
By Mark E. Saunders of “The Scottish Minuteman” https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61575625542197 — More money to keep us afloat. Less investment to help us move forward — Since the Labour government’s budget last month, there has been quite a bit of talk about Westminster giving Scotland an additional £600 million to ‘spend’. But there’s a little more to that story than meets the eye — or the ears for that matter. Firstly, the £600 million isn’t an annual payment. It’s the total additional funding spread across four years. And secondly, when you look at where the money is going, things become a wee bit less impressive. It … Continue reading AHOY SCOTLAND: FULL STEAM ASTERN!
UK (sic) youth job crisis is 55% greater than anything in Scotland
In the Guardian today: Fixing UK’s [sic]youth jobs crisis demands much more investment, TUC boss warns. Paul Nowak also calls on government to avoid arbitrary benefit cuts before much-anticipated Milburn report is published this week. Fixing Britain’s youth jobs crisis will require ministers to drastically increase investment in employment support while avoiding arbitrary cuts to benefits, the head of the trade union movement has said. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/nov/09/uk-young-people-job-work-employment-crisis-paul-nowak-milburn-review There is, of course, not mention of Scotland in the above. Here’s why:: BBC Breakfast 18 June 2026 had the above headline story of 1 012 000 16 to 24 year-olds not in employment, … Continue reading UK (sic) youth job crisis is 55% greater than anything in Scotland
