#LibrariesMatter because…

In the lead up to the local government election in May CILIP in Scotland will be campaigning for libraries across Scotland and showing why #LibrariesMatter.  SWOP members can help with this campaign.

If you would like to know more and become more involved take a few minutes to visit:

http://www.cilips.org.uk/advocacy-campaigns/campaigns/libraries-matter/help-us-show-librariesmatter/

Share your posters with us!

Total number of female MPs ever elected finally matches current male number

191 women were elected as MPs in 2015 bringing the total to 455 female MPs since 1918. The same as the current number of male MPs.

Click the link below for the full article.

An interesting, if somewhat depressing statistic. As many women MPs (ever) as men (now) https://t.co/RVWJvQN887

— JA Condie (@VeryFineLibrary) December 14, 2016

SCOOP Blog

This may have been blogged before however no harm in relisting. If you would like to have some additional reading or reference points on Official Publications it is worth taking a look at the SCOOP Blog. (Standing Committee on Official Publications).  SCOOP has aimed to improve the access to, and availability of, UK official public…

Source: About

UK EU Referendum – info

The UK government is now committed to a referendum on EU membership. Last month Patrick Overy (University of Exeter European Documentation Centre (EDC) Librarian) produced a selection of links and resources on the subject:

• Track progress of the European Union Referendum Bill 2015-16, announced in the Queen’s Speech and published on 28 May.
• Between 2012 and the end of 2014, the coalition government published a Review of the balance of competences between the EU and the UK. The 14 lengthy reports appeared with little publicity and no official summary has been published. This full briefing by the Senior European Experts attempts to fill the gap.
• A legal analysis of the ways in which treaties have been adapted in the past has been written for the European Parliament by Professor Steve Peers: Trends in differentiation of EU law and lessons for the future.  He also wrote an article for the Observer this week on What will happen if the UK leaves
• The House of Commons Library has produced a detailed research paper on Exiting the EU (50p).
• Britain’s fraught relationship with Europe is analysed in a book (125p) prepared by Ireland’s leading think tank, the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA): Britain and Europe: the endgame – an Irish perspective.
• Jean-Claude Piris of the Fondation Robert Schuman gives a valuable analysis in this  policy paper European issues no. 355
• The BBC’s guide to the UK’s planned in-out EU referendum gives brief answers to key questions.

Patrick Overy (EDC Librarian) and Subject Librarian (Business)
Forum Library, University of Exeter

Government Digital Service blog

For information…

The Government Digital Service has published a blog which may be of interest to SWOP members. The entry discusses the GOV.UK search facility; how it works and the steps being taken to improve search results. The blog can be read here: https://insidegovuk.blog.gov.uk/2014/06/13/how-gov-uk-site-search-works/

via:  Graeme Paterson
Official Publications Adviser
National Archives, Kew

Queens Speech and State Opening of Parliament 2012

Queen delivering speech at State Opening of Parliament.

Today at the State Opening of Parliament the Queen delivered her address outlining the legislative agenda of the Coalition Government for the forthcoming parliamentary session.

The State Opening takes place on the first day of a new parliamentary session, or shortly after a general election, and is the main ceremonial event of the parliamentary calendar.

You can watch the full speech on the UKParliament YouTube channel.

In total there are 15 bills and 4 draft bills proposed. These include:-

• House of Lords Reform Bill – to modernise and reduce the membership of the House of Lords
• Pension Bill – to raise the state pension age to 67 between 2026 and 2028 and make it more sustainable as average lifespan increases
• Banking Reform Bill – to split banks into retail and investment arms and reduce taxpayer risk in the event of a bank going bust
• Draft Communications Bill – could allow police and intelligence agencies to more easily collect data on texts and emails

An at-a-glance guide to the content of the Queen’s speech is available on the BBC website.

Following the Queen’s speech the House of Commons returns to its Chambers, the House of Lords is cleared, and the Debate of the Address begins: five days of debate on the content of the speech.

You can find out more about the State Opening of Parliament from this House of Lords Briefing Paper or from the UK Parliament website.

Results from UK Government Consultation on Scottish Independence

In January this year the UK Government published a consultation document to gather public opinion on the proposal by the Scottish National Party (SNP) to hold a referendum on Scottish independence. The consultation was open until Friday 9th March and gathered views from all members of the UK public.

On the 4th of April the UK Government published a command paper (Cm. 8326) summarising the 2,857 responses to the consultation. This document is available on-line from the Scotland Office by clicking the following link:-

Scotland’s Constitutional Future: Responses to the Consultation

Some notable results from the UK Government consultation are as follows:-

• 75% of respondents agreed with the position of the UK Government that there should be a single question on Scotland’s constitutional status
• 70% of respondents agreed with the UK Government that the referendum should take place sooner rather than later
• 44% of respondents were in favour of the Scottish Government proposal that 16-17 year-olds be allowed to vote in the referendum, with 47% against

The ongoing Scottish Government consultation on the question of Scottish independence will run until Friday 11th May and can found at the following link:-

Your Scotland, Your Referendum

Budget 2012

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne MP, presented his Budget to Parliament today, 21 March 2012. This is the third Budget of the Coalition Government. In his Budget speech the Chancellor outlined how the Government plans to raise and spend money in the coming year. Some key points of the Budget include:-

• From April 2013, the 50p top rate of tax will be cut to 45p
• Automatic review of state pension age to ensure it keeps pace with increasing lifespans
• Personal income tax allowance raised to £9,205 from April 2013

You can find all of the Budget documents online on the HM Treasury website.

The House of Commons Library has produced a briefing paper on the Background to the 2012 Budget, and a Research Paper on economic indicators.

The full text of the Chancellor’s statement is available from the HM Treasury website.

Microsoft on Government

Thoughts, comments, news, and reflection from the Microsoft Government team
Our goal for this blog is to bring the conversation online to engage a broader community of international stakeholders in the public sector. By looking at what works in government, uncovering emerging trends, and debating strategies to tackling common public sector challenges—from cities to central governments—we hope to provide you with insights, inspiration, and new ways of looking at how to deliver smarter governance through technology.

Welsh Government

Rob Phillips, Head of  Official Publications  at the National Library of Wales has drawn my attention to the newly renamed Welsh Government  (formerly Welsh Assembly Government)

Selected recent publications from Scottish Parliament & Government

• Class Sizes (SPICe Briefing 11-09) – this briefing looks at changes in policy and developments in reducing class sizes, especially in lower primary classes
• Economic Indicators (SPICe Briefing 11-10) – most recent data which shows trends in areas of the Scottish economy, such as house prices, unemployment and economic growth
• Homes Fit for the 21st Century: The Scottish Government’s Strategy and Action Plan for Housing in the Next Decade: 2011-2020 – report lays out the Governments vision for housing over the coming decade
• Living and Dying Well: Building on Progress – the Living and Dying Well action plan to provide high-quality end-of-life care was launched in 2008. This report looks at the progress made since and work still to be done
• Scotland’s Budget Documents: The 2010-11 Spring Budget Revision to the Budget (Scotland) Act for the year ending 31 March 2011 (SG/2011/04) – Spring Budget Revisions which were laid before Parliament in January 2011. See also the Supporting Document (SG/2011/2)
• Social Work Services in Scotland’s Prisons: A National Inspection – report from the Social Work Inspection Agency makes recommendations on the future of prison-based social work services
• Stage 1 Report on the Public Records (Scotland) Bill (SP Paper 580) – 1st Report from the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee in support of the bill which was introduced in the Scottish Parliament in October 2010 with the aim of ensuring effective methods of records management
• Widening Access to Higher Education (SPICe Briefing 11-07) – briefing examines the way in which Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) recruit new students

Some recent publications from the Parliament and Government

• A National Approach to Anti-Bullying for Scotland’s Children and Young People – a joint approach between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Anti-Bullying Steering Group has been developed in a bid to co-ordinate efforts to reduce bullying in Scotland
• Cancun: UN Climate Change Negotiations (SPICe Briefing 10/87) – the UN Climate Change Conference takes place in Cancun between 29 November – 10 December. This paper looks at developments since the last conference in Copenhagen and possible outcomes of this years  
• Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Bill [As passed] (SP Bill 41B, Session 3, 2010) – new legislation which establishes Childrens Hearings Scotland, a new corporate body, and changes previous legislation regarding the Childrens Panel and hearings system
• Demographic Change in Scotland  – the population of Scotland is changing in many ways but most importantly it is decreasing and ageing. This research report looks at evidence on which to base future policy decisions
• Domestic Abuse Recorded by the Police in Scotland 2009-10 – Statistical Bulletin Crime and Justice Series – this bulletin provides statistics on the number of domestic abuse cases which were reported to the eight police forces across Scotland during 2009-10. Provides a useful breakdown of sex of perpetrator and relationship to victim 
• Draft Budget 2011-12 (SPICe Briefing 10/80) – briefing paper which includes a detailed breakdown of the Government’s spending plans 
• Economic Indicators (SPICe Briefing 10/76) – paper provides data on several key indicators such as unemployment, house prices and UK inflation rates 
• Equality Statement Scottish Budget 2011-12 – an equality report from the Government which shows how they plan to ensure that equality is taken into account when managing future spending cuts
• Experience of Civil Law Problems in Scotland 1997-2004 – a look at the nature and results of civil law problems in Scotland
• Health in Scotland 2009 Time for Change: Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer – annual publication which shows trends in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy in Scotland, and makes comparisons against other areas in the UK
• Public Spending in Scotland – Engaging with the people of Scotland – report presents results from the public consultation which followed the Independent Budget Review (IBR) Report in July
• Report of the Working Group on the Scots Language – the report from the ministerial group which sets out recommendations for the future development of the Scots language
• Scotland’s Spending Plans and Draft Budget 2011-12 – sets out how the Government plans to manage spending in Scotland in light of the reduced allocation from Westminster

Recent publications from the Parliament & Government

Delivering for Scotland: The Government’s Programme for Scotland 2010-2011 – Annual publication which lays out the government’s legislative programme for the coming year, including 10 bill proposals designed to protect public services and support businesses and families through a period of economic uncertainty

Higher Education: Qualifications, Quality Assurance and Assessment (SPICe Briefing 10/61) – paper provides a summary of the qualifications on offer at higher education institutions in Scotland. Also explains the differences between the types of institutions and how they are assessed

Recommendations of the Commission on Scottish Devolution Regarding Scottish Parliament Procedures (SP Paper 490) – 5th Report from the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee – the new UK Government intends to implement recommendations of the final report of the Commission on Scottish Devolution (Calman Commission) therefore the Committee has laid out proposals to Parliament on how this should be implemented in the areas of parliamentary procedure

Review of Class Size Control Mechanisms: Report of the Working Group – this group analysed current practice in Scotland, which is thought to be too complex, and compared this against practice in other countries. Guidance is provided on how best to set class sizes, but the decision should rest with education authorities who can make informed decisions at school level

Scottish Health Survey 2009: Vol. 1 Main Report / Vol. 2 Technical Report – fifth report commissioned by the Scottish Government Health Directorates. Results of the survey are presented in a 2 volume report and include data on general health and wellbeing, dental health, physical activity and obesity

Spending Implications of Demographic Change (Financial Scrutiny Unit Briefing 10/60) – paper looks at measures which could be taken now to prepare for sound public spending in the future. For example, health services and pensions are under threat due to our ageing population in Scotland

Troublesome Youth Groups, Gangs and Knife Carrying in Scotland – research report regarding knife crime in Scotland, and recommendations for changes to existing policy

Unemployment (SPICe Briefing 10/59) – briefing provides latest claimant count data on number of unemployed in Scotland, by Scottish Parliament constituency areas

Some new items from the Scottish Government 13th July 2010

• Civil Law of Damages: Damages for Wrongful Death: A Consultation Paper – consulation paper which has been developed from the recommendations made in the report “Damages for Wrongful Death” produced by the Scottish Law Commission in 2008 (SLC 213)
• Gross Expenditure on Research and Development Scotland 2008 – National Statistics publication which provides data on R&D in Scotland from business, higher education and government sectors
• Low Pay and Income Inequality in Scotland – paper which looks at the effect of introducing a living-wage in Scotland
• Reporting on Progress Towards Equality of Opportunity for Women and Men made by Public Authorities in Scotland: Ministerial Priorities for Gender Equality: A Review of Key Evidence and National Policies – 4 reports have been published as a review of progress made by Scottish public authorities
• Reporting on Progress Towards Equality of Opportunity for Women and Men made by Public Authorities in Scotland: Ministerial Priorities for Gender Equality. Tackling Occupational Segregation – research report on the nature of occupational segregation
• Reporting on Progress Towards Equality of Opportunity for Women and Men made by Public Authorities in Scotland: Ministerial Priorities for Gender Equality: Violence Against Women – research report on the nature of violence against women in Scotland
• Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2009: Sustainable Places and Greenspace – report looks at the links between environment and wellbeing – based on the results of the Social Attitudes Survey
• Tracking the Scottish Budget – Financial Scrutiny Unit Briefing: Understanding the Scottish Budget Series 1 – paper details the various sources of budgetary information and explains how the budget is presented