Professor John Robertson OBA From Total income from farming estimates: 2018-2024, published today: Initial estimates for 2024 predict a strong recovery in total income from farming from its 5-year low in 2023. Total income is estimated to reach around £1.3 billion in 2024, an increase of £0.4 billion (49%). In real terms, adjusted for inflation, this is a 44% increase.1 How is Scotland doing with food exports as farming thrives? Source: Continue reading Farming income increases by 44% to give confidence for Scotland’s sustainability and food exports, 31% of all UK food exports with only 8% of the UK population

Professor John Robertson OBA On a regular basis we see new ‘Scottish’ Labour MPs in Westmonster, serving up lies about their local NHS to feed the PM at PMQs – ‘Does the Prime Minister agree that my local NHS staff are failing?’ Today, the Herald’s top story has ‘more than 629 000 waiting‘. So, this means at most 630 000? Let’s give them that. For context, to consider how bad or good that headline is, let’s look elsewhere to see if NHS Scotland might learn something. In the Mirror on 15 May 2025: More people have come forward for non-urgent treatments and … Continue reading Contrary to Labour claims NHS waiting list in England surges to 17% longer than in Scotland leaving more than 1 million extra waiting longer than they would if they’d had an SNP government these last 18 years

Professor John Robertson OBA Today, despite two authors working on the story, the Herald’s top story has none of the context that young journos are required to have, if they want to pass 1st Year assessments. So, more than 629 000 waiting means at most 630 000? Let’s give them that. For context, to consider how bad or good that headline is, let’s look elsewhere to see if NHS Scotland might learn something. In Wales, it’s just under 620 0001 but there are only 3.1 million people in Wales and 5.44 million in Scotland, 1.75 times as many. For comparability, … Continue reading Herald confirms hospital waiting lists in Scotland far shorter than in Labour Wales with an extra 380 000 waiting longer there

Professor John Robertson OBA From People requiring a social care assessment and care at home services, published today: The number of people estimated to be waiting on a social care assessment for a package of care to enable them to live independently at home or in the community was 6,639 on 5 May 2025. This is an increase of just under 2% from the estimated number of people waiting this time last year. The estimated number of people assessed and waiting for a care at home package was 2,884 on 5 May 2025. This is a decrease of 8% from … Continue reading Scotland assesses more than THREE times as many for care home packages and provides packages for nearly TWICE as many

Professor John Robertson OBA In the Herald last year [January 2024] and across Scottish media, we saw versions of this scare story suggesting a crisis in private rented housing supply and a consequent impact on homelessness: Scotland has become the only part of Great Britain where sales of properties by landlords has gone up, amid claims that government rent curbs are forcing them out. As with their reports on ferries, it’s not true. From Housing statistics: Scottish Landlord Register data published today, we see contrary evidence of increasing private rented properties. As their Martin Williams wrote the above, in January 2024, the … Continue reading SNP rent curbs have not reduced private rented housing supply – it’s up 12 000 on 2022 and 8 000 on 2023