Scotland Devolution Monitoring Report January 2006 Executive Summary .................................................................... 7 1. The Scottish Executive ........................................................ 9 1.1 The Ministerial Team ................................................................................. 9 1.2 The Coalition............................................................................................ 10 1.3 Legislative programme............................................................................. 10 1.4 Civil service issues................................................................................... 11 1.5 The Scottish Treasury and Cabinet Office?.............................................. 13 1.6 Freedom of Information............................................................................ 14 1.7 Civic Participation .................................................................................... 15 1.8 Public Bodies ........................................................................................... 15 2. The Scottish Parliament .................................................... 16 2.1 Parliament and Reserved Issues ............................................................. 16 2.2 Cigarettes and Alcohol............................................................................. 18 2.3 MSP Expenses ........................................................................................ 19 2.4 The Scottish Parliament Committees ....................................................... 20 2.5 Committee Reports and Inquiries (12 March – 14 December 2005)......... 22 2.6 Parliamentary Bills (12 March 2005 – 14 December 2005) ...................... 25 2.7 Non-Executive Bills .................................................................................. 27 2.8 Sewel (Legislative Consent) Motions passed ........................................... 29 2.9 Cross Party Groups and Petitions ............................................................ 30 3. The Media ........................................................................... 31 3.1 Newspaper company sales and job losses .............................................. 31 3.2 Media retrenchment ................................................................................. 32 3.2 Comments and Campaigns...................................................................... 34 3.4 Scandals and Scalps ............................................................................... 37 4. Public Attitudes and Elections.......................................... 41 4.1 Attitudes towards devolution .................................................................... 41 4.2 National Identity ....................................................................................... 53 4.3 Social Issues............................................................................................ 54 4.4 Party Fortunes ......................................................................................... 64 4.5 Attitudes towards Parties and Leaders..................................................... 75 4.6 Evaluations of Public Services. ................................................................ 76 5. Intergovernmental relations .............................................. 82 5.1 Intergovernmental meetings..................................................................... 82 5.2 Issues in informal intergovernmental relations ......................................... 82 5.3 The Sewel convention.............................................................................. 83 5.4 The Advocate General for Scotland in the Lords...................................... 84 5.5 Scotland’s foreign and international development policy .......................... 84 5.6 Implications of the Comprehensive Spending Review.............................. 85 6. Scotland, Europe and International Relations ................. 87 6.1 International Development Policy............................................................. 87 6.2 The G8 Summit........................................................................................ 90 6.3 Tartan Week Goes Canadian................................................................... 90 6.4 Scotland and Europe: Partnership Regions.............................................. 91 6.5 Reports of the European and External Relations Committee 2005........... 91 7. Relations with Local Government..................................... 93 7.1 Funding Settlement.................................................................................. 93 7.2 Council Reform? ...................................................................................... 94 7.3 Improvement Service ............................................................................... 95 7.4 Finance Review ....................................................................................... 96 7.5 Best Value ............................................................................................... 97 7.6 Single Status and Equal Pay.................................................................... 98 7.7 Planning................................................................................................... 98 4 Scotland Devolution Monitoring Report January 2006 8. Finance ............................................................................. 100 8.1 Budget Finance.......................................................................................100 8.2 Council Tax.............................................................................................101 8.3 Government Efficiency............................................................................102 8.4 Conclusions ............................................................................................103 9. Disputes and litigation..................................................... 104 10. Political Parties ................................................................ 106 10.1 The UK General Election ....................................................................106 10.2 The Lib Dems – From Wallace to Stephen..........................................106 10.3 The Scottish Socialists – Suspension of MSPs ...................................107 10.4 By-elections in Glasgow Cathcart and Livingston................................108 10.5 The Conservative Leadership Crisis....................................................109 10.6 The SNP and Independence. ..............................................................110 11. Public Policies.................................................................. 111 11.1 Change in the Public Services ............................................................111 11.2 Housing and Homelessness................................................................112 11.3 Public Health.......................................................................................113 11.4 The NHS.............................................................................................114 11.5 Education............................................................................................116 11.6 Economy.............................................................................................118 11.7 Fresh Talent Initiative..........................................................................119 11.8 Law & Order........................................................................................120 11.9 Legal and Social Issues ......................................................................121 11.10 Rural and Environmental Issues..........................................................121 11.11 Transport ............................................................................................123 11.12 Energy ................................................................................................124 11.13 International Affairs .............................................................................124 5 Scotland Devolution Monitoring Report January 2006 Table of Figures Table of Figures ...................................................................................................... 6 Figure 4.1. Support for Constitutional Options 1997-2004 ....................................... 42 Figure 4.2. Scotland's Voice in the UK .................................................................... 42 Figure 4.3. People's say in Government.................................................................. 43 Figure 4.4. Influence over running Scotland ............................................................ 43 Which of the following do you think has most influence over the way Scotland is run? ........................................................................................................................ 43 Figure 4.5. Working in Scotland's interests.............................................................. 44 Figure 4.6. Listening to People's Views ................................................................... 45 Figure 4.7. Knowledge Quiz .................................................................................... 46 Figure 4.8. Knowledge of Government Activity ........................................................ 46 Figure 4.9. YouGov Election Poll............................................................................. 49 Figure 4.10. Opinions about Independence and Devolution .................................... 51 Figure