About

Meantime in Scotland … is a site for people who take government in Scotland seriously.  It is interested in how power is used in Scotland – by the Scottish government, Scottish Parliament and Scottish public authorities.  It starts from the assumption that there is is a scrutiny deficit in Scotland, of bodies based in Scotland.  There is a growing on-line community subjecting the impact of UK government policy on Scotland to critical scrutiny, but little that’s comparable for decisions taken in Scotland, which only affect Scotland. The focus here is on topics which are getting relatively little coverage in the Scottish (or UK) press or by broadcasters.  The site provides links to a variety of relevant existing on-line sources, as well as sometimes identifying new issues itself.

If there is a topic you think should be on here, please use the form below to send links to any published material available (either analysis on other sites, or simply direct to public documents).  With regret, this site does not have the resources (it does not really have any resources except the odd hour of my time …) to take up individual cases or issues affecting public bodies with a non-national remit (such as individual councils or health boards).

I also run a site (www.adventuresinevidence.com) which started off with the intention of being about public policy in Scotland, with no one specific focus. The idea there was to post occasional pieces of research and analysis, drawn from primary sources, with a focus on issues which weren’t receiving much attention.  In practice, however, it has become a blog entirely about student support and, in particular, the impact of the declining use of student grants in Scotland.  It looks likely to continue with that focus.

Meantime in Scotland …. is something slightly different – more of a pinboard for anyone interested in the operation of the Scottish-specific state.