A route is still required. The Scottish Government has published a Draft Independence Referendum Bill. The question is the 2014 question. The ballot is a Yes/No paper. The date is blank. The franchise is the Scottish local-government franchise, with “qualifying foreign national” substituted for “relevant citizen of the
Commentary
SNIB’s £137.5 million loss and the incomplete modernisation funding at Ferguson Marine dominated the public record. Ferry services and bluetongue rules continued under constraint. What changed, what did not, and what the powers allow.
Commentary
SNIB recorded a £137.5 million loss driven by realised and unrealised investment write-downs. The First Minister visited Inverclyde after 1,500 cumulative job losses, including planned reductions at Ferguson Marine. Ferry services stabilised on Arran while bluetongue rules continued.
Commentary
An Arran ferry was evacuated after a passenger went overboard and then claimed there was a bomb on board. Police say the threat was not credible. BBC Scotland faces further job cuts and talk of a channel review. The dispute over NHS candour continues.
The Scottish Parliament is in summer recess. The day’s confirmed record is therefore administrative, operational and judicial rather than legislative. The Scottish Government published a multi-year funding path for Bairns’ Hoose expansion, with access for every child who needs the service set as a May 2031 target. Animal-
Commentary
The Scottish Police Federation wants clearer powers to require the removal of face coverings used to hide identity. Inverclyde is trying to grow Greenock’s population through legal migration it does not control.
Commentary
The Scottish Government launched community heart and lung checks in three board areas with £3 million in indicative funding. HMICS published its 2025–26 annual report and proposed live facial recognition. A confirmed BSE case remains under APHA investigation.
The 28
The 28 are a map of competence, not a manifesto. Health, justice, schools, housing and most of the £67.9 billion Budget already sit in Edinburgh. As of 30 April 2026, an estimated 572,206 people were on at least one new-outpatient, inpatient or day-case list.
The 28
In 2025/26 auditors examined 253 sets of accounts covering £58.6 billion of devolved spending. Twelve statutory reports, 17 national performance audits and nine Best Value reports were published. Scotland’s 2023 Open Budget Survey score was 91 for oversight and 60 for transparency.
The 28
In 2022–25, 940,000 people in Scotland — 17 per cent — lived in relative poverty after housing costs. 210,000 children were in that group. Three-quarters of those children lived in a working household.
The 28
Sustainable tourism employs 239,000 people. Highland STEAM counted 9.40 million visitors and £2.13 billion of direct spend. The Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund has granted £24.5 million since 2018.
The 28
In mid-2025, Scotland’s population was 5,545,500. Natural change was −16,200. Net migration was +17,900. Scottish Income Tax is forecast at £21.5 billion in 2026–27; the Budget totals £68.0 billion.