Professor John Robertson OBA The Herald yesterday continued its Scottish Labour campaign with a report from a non-transparent think tank, Centre for Cities, to suggest it needs a mayor to tackle its productivity gap. All of the above English cities already have mayors and, other than the much larger Manchester, Glasgow leads them all From We’re Scotland’s economic powerhouse. Why doesn’t it feel like it? – A data investigation into where Glasgow’s wealth ends up, published today by The Bell: There’s a bit of a perception around the city that Glasgow has no cash — especially not compared to wealthy Edinburgh next … Continue reading How can Glasgow need a mayor to tackle a supposed productivity gap when its productivity is steadily growing and outstripping all but one English city, all already with mayors?

Professor John Robertson OBA From Scotland’s Population 2024 – The Registrar General’s Annual Review of Demographic Trends published yesterday, the above graph and: Scotland’s population reached a record high of 5.55 million in 2024 The increase was mainly due to migration into Scotland https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/publications/scotlands-population-2024-the-registrar-generals-annual-review-of-demographic-trends/# Wait, surely this cannot be happening? Aren’t Scotland’s ‘high taxes’ driving people away? See: https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/failed-snp-mp-admits-partys-35009308 Why is it happening? Scotland offers lower living costs, especially housing, compared to high-pressure areas like London and the South East. Rural and coastal regions provide a “better work-life balance” with access to nature, appealing to remote workers and families post-pandemic. … Continue reading Scotland’s lower taxes attracting skilled workers, lower living costs and better environment for families, driving flight from rest of UK

Professor John Robertson OBA From Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) waiting timesQuarter ending September 2025, published yesterday, but still not reported by BBC Scotland 24 hours later, the above graph and: 91.5% of people started treatment within 18 weeks of referral, which is a decrease from 91.8% for the previous quarter and an increase from 89.1% for the same quarter ending September 2024. The Scottish Government standard states that 90% of children and young people should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral to CAMHS. The chart below shows performance in relation to this target over the past … Continue reading Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services beat 90% target for fourth time to media silence

Professor John Robertson OBA From Cancelled planned operations Month ending 31 October 2025, published yesterday, the above and: There were 27,862 operations planned to take place across NHS Scotland. This is 12.2% higher (+3,038) than the number planned a year previously in October 2024 (24,824) and the highest number of operations planned since January 2020. Overall, the number of planned operations has been increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic impacted service provision. Of all planned operations during October 2025 in NHS Scotland, 783 (2.8%) were cancelled by the hospital for clinical reasons, 828 (3.0%) were cancelled by the patient, 894 (3.2%) … Continue reading Massive 12% surge in planned operations in NHS Scotland but cancellations held at only 3.2% to still deliver 97% on time

Professor John Robertson OBA From Psychological therapies waiting times Quarter ending September 2025 published yesterday: 80.7% of people started treatment within 18 weeks of referral, which is an increase from 78.3% in the previous quarter, and an increase from 80.0% for the quarter ending September 2024. Half of those starting treatment started within 3 weeks of referral. This is an increase from half starting treatment within 4 weeks in the previous quarter, and the same for the quarter ending September 2024. Of the 1,291 people aged 65+ who started treatment in this quarter, 76.7% were seen within 18 weeks of … Continue reading Massive 14% increase in psychological therapies carried out with over 65’s within target and significant increase for all ages

Professor John Robertson OBA TuS averages 1 000 visitors a day so yesterday’s 3 256 is notable. The surge was, unusually, in the early hours – see this: The previous day’s posts can only have been the attraction at that time, midnight to 0400: Here’s where the visitors were based, countries: TuS tends to get little traffic from USA or South and East Asia or these particular US cities. The fifth post about was about HIV so maybe more widely of interest but I struggle to see what interested in the first four unless, heaven forfend, my use of the … Continue reading Strange goings on at Talking-up Scotland the night before last – early morning spike, rare surge in interest from USA and perhaps suggestions of porn?

Professor John Robertson OBA The Guardian today has two big reports on leaking landfill sites in the UK (sic): UK and Europe’s hidden landfills at risk of leaking toxic waste into water supplies – Thousands of landfills across the UK and Europe sit in floodplains, posing a potential threat to drinking water and conservation areas if toxic waste is released into rivers, soils and ecosystems, it can be revealed. and ‘I kept smelling a horrible nasty smell’: the risks of England’s old dumping grounds – For some, the smell brings on nausea and headaches. Others fear ‘forever chemicals’ seeping into the water … Continue reading England and Europe’s hidden landfills at risk of leaking toxic waste into water supplies but Scotland’s sites are all known and level is now only one third, of that under Labour