Here’s how Policy Mogul introduces, today, the latest ONS labour market statistics for Scotland, for March to May 2023: Commenting on the latest publication of ONS labour market statistics which show Scotland’s unemployment rate for March to May 2023 remained low at 3.2 per cent, Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray said: “The continued near-record low unemployment rates for those aged 16 and over across Scotland are welcome and reflects the resilience of the labour market amid the challenging economic outlook and ongoing cost of living crisis. This is compounded by continuing high inflation and rising interest rates. However, the Scottish … Continue reading “Continued near-record low unemployment rates for those aged 16 and over across Scotland”

The Herald prefers to say CalMac ‘has been forced to bring in a relief vessel’ as if a 34 ferry service with more than 500 sailings a day to more than 30 locations, including some very small islands that in Canada or Greece, would not have a subsidised service at all, is somehow failing, as it manages more than 90% on time for four days and 99% and 98% in the last two. The relief vessel has been brought in for the Barra to Eriskay crossing. Just how much is it costing, in the first place, to subsidise a regular … Continue reading CalMac has a relief ferry ready to replace the Eriskay ferry and keep reliability close to 100%

BBC Scotland is surprisingly restrained in the above reporting with no direct connection made to Grenfell. There are however, two ‘hot’ wee links in the report, to other stories about it. Regulars will know this already but I repeat it in the public interest: From BBC Glasgow & West today [25/9/22]: Firefighters have extinguished a blaze which broke out at a tower block in the south side of Glasgow. Emergency services were alerted to the incident in Shawhill Road, Shawlands, at about 21:00 on Saturday. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service dispatched eight fire engines. Large plumes of smoke were … Continue reading Why there will still be no Grenfell here

Reporting Scotland headlines today with: The union representing firefighters is warning (note not ‘claimed’ as Scot Gov tends to get) proposed cost cutting measures will affect the safety of the public and its members….we can’t have anything other than a reduction in the safety of the public. Now, I fully understand why a trade union will fight tooth and nail for its members interests but a media outlet has a duty to inform its audience. Back in the 70s, a trade union ‘claim’ would be challenged rigorously, sometimes unfairly, but these days of the SNP in government, any trade union … Continue reading Scotland sees a huge reduction in serious fires and deaths but still retains more firefighters than England

Reporting Scotland is off and running first thing today with your daily dose of anxiety. ‘Scotland is facing a housing emergency!’ It’s about the supply of affordable housing but as always there’s no context. I’m not saying it’s ever good enough in Scotland and I can remember when my family waited 7 years in a tenement flat, above a pub, with a stinking close and an outside toilet, before we got a decent council house, in the 1960s, after decades of Labour looking after (doing little) for Scotland. Here’s some context: From the impartial Grampian Online in January 2023: Scotland has continued … Continue reading New affordable housing: SNP Scotland 74% better than Labour Wales

By stewartb There are multiple reports of leading Labour politicians joining with the Tories to dismiss out of hand the Scottish Government’s proposals for the reform of drug laws. Candidly, it’s no longer a surprise: the Bain Principle – ‘Labour opposes anything proposed by the SNP, regardless of the merits of the thing in question’ – is in rude health. And at times the Labour leadership even seems intent on making mountains out of molehills of small differences with the SNP. Presumably this is to make their party even more attractive electorally in Scotland to erstwhile Tory supporting Unionists. The … Continue reading Our ‘political masters’ flex their muscles – instant dismissal of drugs proposal for Scotland!

Yesterday on a busy Saturday, CalMac operated 100% of sailings in all but the Inner Hebrides where reliability was only 99% (98.6). Out of 523 sailings, only 3 were cancelled. The single sailing from Ardrossan to Campbelltown, on the mainland, was cancelled. One of the 21 Oban to Craignure sailings and 1 of 4 Oban to Colle/Tiree sailings were cancelled. Brittany Ferries are at 100% today but have cancelled 1 of only 7 sailings (Plymouth to Roscoff) for Tuesday and Wednesday. The people of the Brittany, dependent on tourism, will have no connections with the UK for at least two … Continue reading CalMac ferries back at 99% reliability and 100% in 4 out of 5 regions

Published two days ago: Final income tax outturn data for 2021-22 was published by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) today. The figures show Scottish income tax revenues were £13,724 million in 2021-22, growing by 14.9 per cent since 2020-21. This means the Scottish Government, having done so well, must hand £390 million of our allowance back in ‘reconciliation’, because: The Scottish Government must rely on forecasts when setting each Budget, and the UK Government also relies on forecasts when determining BGAs. When information about actual revenues and expenditure becomes available – known as ‘outturn data’ – subsequent Budgets are adjusted to account for … Continue reading Major increase in Scotland’s income tax revenues in just one year