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

Professor John Robertson OBA From Acute hospital activity and NHS beds information (quarterly)Quarter ending 31 December 2024, published today by Public Health Scotland: There were on average 13,614 available staffed beds per day for all acute specialties in the quarter ending 31 December 2024 – a 1.3% decrease compared to the same quarter in the previous year. An available staffed bed is a bed which is resourced for inpatient or day case care. Of these, 9,737 (72%) were for medical specialties and 3,877 (28%) were for surgical specialties. For all acute specialties in the quarter ending 31 December 2024, the … Continue reading NHS Scotland has nearly 4 000 more hospital beds than it would have if run by the UK Government these 18 years and a lower occupancy rate to help it cope with sudden surges

Professor John Robertson OBA With no new ferries even in construction and only 19 in service for 9.7 million passengers, Washington State Ferries, compares badly to CalMac’s 35 ferries plus 6 in construction serving only 5.3 million. Yet, yesterday, they claimed: Washington State Ferries says it’s returning to almost full domestic service – three years earlier than planned. https://www.yahoo.com/news/washington-state-ferries-return-almost-185152101.html You have to read the reports carefully to spot: WSDOT says the revamped seasonal schedule includes a more realistic timetable that will help vessels stay on time. It also makes crewing schedules more manageable, leading to fewer crewing cancellations. The new ‘more realistic’ … Continue reading Washington State Ferries return ‘almost full service’ but the truth is less encouraging if you read carefully – Imagine this happened in Scotland?

Professor John Robertson OBA Ireland’s GDP in 2023 was $551.39 billion with a population at 5.23 million, just under Scotland at 5.44 million. Scotland’s GDP in the same year was $2.53 billion, less than half, yet: DONEGAL TD and Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Finance, Deputy Pearse Doherty, has questioned the Minister for Rural and Community Development on the failure to deliver a new ferry to service Tory island. The Minister for Rural and Community Development agreed to visit Magheraroarty pier later in the summer and meet with Deputy Doherty to discuss the matter further. Teachta Doherty said: “It was a commitment … Continue reading Irish Islanders wait 8 years to hear that new ‘lifeline’ ferry to replace nearly 50 year-old Queen of Aran, is not yet even being designed, and threaten to leave

Professor John Robertson OBA Entirely ignored by BBC Scotland, even their Business page, nowhere of any MSM front page and nowhere prominent in the Herald but deep in one of their newsletters, as mere ‘opinion‘ and behind a paywall: The original, free-to-read, report: https://www.scottishrenewables.com/publications/1929-consumer-savings-under-tnuos-reform-proposals-report Evidence that this is a one-way drain of energy from Scotland to England? This: From the UK Government in March 2025: Net electricity transfers from Scotland to England increased 15 per cent to 6.0 TWh year-on-year, with transfers from Scotland to England increasing by 14 per cent to 6.1 TWh while transfers from England to Scotland decreased to 0.1 TWh. … Continue reading Hidden from view by our media three Scottish energy firms reveal how changing the UK transmission system could save billpayers £16 billion

Professor John Robertson OBA Polls for the Scottish elections from as far back as August 2024 with a simple message – SNP with a growing dominance and Reform UK growing but only a the expense of Labour. Polls for UK Elections going back April [far more frequent] – with a simple message – Reform UK with a growing lead over Labour and support 2 times greater than in Scotland. So, they’ll get some regional MSPs but probably zero constituency seats. Watch out for them. They have some real weirdos to entertain us darkly. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_Scottish_Parliament_election https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_United_Kingdom_general_election Continue reading Reform UK are a threat at Westmonster but will be a strange marginal presence at Holyrood

Homicide by minors has plummeted since the first SNP Government in 2007.1 Violent crime experienced by 16-24 year-olds has also fallen dramatically from 12% in 2008/2009 to 5.8% in 2017/2018.2 Temporary and full school exclusions have plummeted from nearly 40 000 and 87 respectively to less than 12 000 and 1 respectively.3 This is a major achievement by Scotland ‘s schools. Had things gone the other way with more exclusions under the SNP and increasing crime by school-age children, the SNP Government would be blamed so, in these circumstances, must get some credit for the leadership role and for shaping … Continue reading Falling violent crime by minors and young people strongly linked to Scotland’s success in reducing school exclusion since 2007 in sharp contrast to shocking surge of both in England