Housing and homelessness
Councils paid £660m for temporary homeless accommodation
Local authorities across Scotland have paid out more than half a billion pounds putting homeless people in temporary accommodation in the last five years.
Scottish Government
Fact check, Politics
Claim that fire service paying VAT was ‘SNP policy’ is Mostly False
Ferret Fact Service looks at the facts around the VAT exemption for the merged Scottish fire service.
Environment
Scottish salmon farming expansion must be stopped, say critics
Expansion of Scotland’s salmon farming industry should be banned until welfare standards are improved, according to a new report from a leading Scottish animal charity.
Environment
Thousands of offences by Scottish fishing industry escape fines
Evidence that thousands of offences by Scottish fishing boats have gone unpunished has prompted accusations that the industry is being “let off the hook” by the Scottish Government.
Crime and justice, Privacy and surveillance
Biometrics watchdog will lack powers, say critics
Government plans to appoint an independent watchdog to monitor how facial recognition, fingerprints and genetic materials are used in Scotland have been criticised.
Environment
Scotland lagging behind the rest of the UK on recycling
Scottish ministers and councils have come under fire after official figures revealed that Scotland recycled less household waste than the rest of the UK.
Fact check, Politics
Claim that Scotland produces more oil than Abu Dhabi and Dubai is Mostly False
Ferret Fact Service looks at a claim about Scotland’s oil production and potential wealth fund.
Arms trade
Scottish minister ‘sorry’ for wrong info on arms funding
A Scottish Government minister apologised after being forced to admit that more than 12 times as much public money was handed to Highlands-based arms firms than was previously stated.
Environment, Fracking
Scottish Government extends Ineos fracking licence for a year
The Scottish Government has extended a licence for fracking across the central belt by the Grangemouth company, Ineos - but insisted it is still opposed to fracking.