Understanding Scotland: Economy - August 2022
New research shows 80% of people have already cut down on leisure and/or non-essentials, over a quarter of people are skipping or cutting down on meals to save money and 1 in 3 Scots now losing sleep due to financial stress,
Photo credit: George Clerk
New research produced in partnership between the David Hume Institute and the Diffley Partnership on economic attitudes and behaviours has revealed widespread anxiety and pessimism about Scotland’s economic outlook.
The Understanding Scotland: economy survey shows that despite households’ best efforts to cut their outgoings, the support on offer from governments is widely seen as inadequate.
Eighty per cent of people have already cut down on leisure and/or non-essentials, and over a quarter of people are skipping or cutting down on meals to save money.
Since starting this regular survey last year, sadly most people have seen their financial situation deteriorate. With three in ten people now losing sleep due to financial stress, and over a quarter skipping or cutting meals.
There are obvious consequences for the economy, labour market and people’s health. This is essential data to help inform the actions of decision-makers.
Read more:
Press release - Press release: nine in ten Scots anticipate a recession and worsening inflation.
Watch the event recording here.
Understanding Scotland: Economy - May 2022
A new survey produced in partnership between the David Hume Institute and the Diffley Partnership has revealed widespread anxiety about Scotland’s economic outlook.
A new survey produced in partnership between the David Hume Institute and the Diffley Partnership has revealed widespread anxiety about Scotland’s economic outlook. The survey measures people’s attitudes and behaviours to build a picture of the public’s perceptions of the economy.
Briefing paper: What is open data and why does it matter?
An open data culture leads to improved government, economic growth, insight, and a more participatory democracy. However, despite the benefits demonstrated by those leading the way in open data, Scotland is moving at a glacial pace and the gap with other countries is widening.
Image credit: Photo by Viktor Forgacs free on Unsplash 03.03.2022
Open data that can be freely used, re-used, and redistributed, has the potential to drive innovative solutions to some of Scotland’s biggest challenges. An open data culture leads to improved government, economic growth, insight, and a more participatory democracy. However, despite the benefits demonstrated by those leading the way in open data, Scotland is moving at a glacial pace and the gap with other countries is widening.
In 2015, the Scottish Government launched its Open Data Strategy which set out its vision that, by 2020, Scotland will value data and responsibly make use of it in order to improve public services and deliver wider societal and economic benefits for all.
Since 2015, Scotland’s data has been ‘open by default’ but progress remains slow and over half of councils still make no open data provision. Although the Scottish Government permits the reuse of core website content, 30 of the 32 local councils do not. Our briefing paper indicates that over 95% of the data that could and should be open is still locked up, at an estimated annual cost to the Scottish economy of just over £2bn.
Globally, governments and political unions, including the EU, prioritised actions which in many cases overtake Scotland’s progress in the delivery of Open Government data plans. This includes creative use of open data from countries including Kenya, Romania, Mexico, Honduras, Paraguay and Uruguay. Urgent action is needed to ensure Scotland doesn’t miss out.
Our briefing paper, published in partnership with Open Data Scotland by lead author Ian Watt, calls for a number of specific actions from national and local government, as well as large institutions such as the NHS and Scottish Universities, to address the issue including:
Scottish Government adopting open data as a core part of their digital strategy with appropriate resource
Creation of a national open data portal
Development of common open data publishing standards for Scotland
Working together with UK Government and commercial partners to accelerate superfast broadband provision as called for in DHI’s previously published paper on Levelling up high speed broadband
Research: Scotland’s top charity leaders: how diverse are they?
The David Hume Institute measures the diversity of Scotland’s top leaders. For the first time in our analysis this includes the leaders of the top 300 charities by income. Read the research here.
Scotland needs all its current top leaders to actively champion diversity and provide the opportunities to ensure faster progress. More equal societies have higher productivity, and high productivity allows more investment to create more equal societies.
The David Hume Institute measures the diversity of Scotland’s top leaders. For the first time in our analysis this includes the leaders of the top 300 charities by income. As major influencers and lobbyists who impact on all parts of our society, charity leaders have a key role in making sure that their leadership is representative of the communities they serve.
The top 300 charities by income represent just 1% of the total charities in Scotland and control over £10 billion each year - 73% of the sector's total annual income - but their leaders are not representative of the communities they serve.
66% Male
34% Female
2% Ethnic minorities
The research, which analyses the backgrounds of the chairs and chief executives of the 300 highest income charities in Scotland, finds that:
Only 1 in 3 leaders (34%) are women and only 1 in 50 (2%) are black or Asian, compared to 10% female and 1% ethnic minorities in business and investment leaders.
1 in 25 (4%) hold a top leadership position in another one of the top 300 charities.
The research showed the picture is not uniform across the top 300 charities which include universities, colleges, housing associations, fee-paying schools, health and social care charities.
Charitable status comes with high levels of public trust and tax breaks, as well as the legal responsibility to deliver public benefit. But not all organisations are open about who is in control. It is difficult for the public to hold people to account if they don’t know who they are.
The research recommends an extension of the Scottish Charity Regulator’s (OSCR) powers to create a publicly searchable register of charity trustees to bring them in line with company directors. This change will increase transparency and enable monitoring on diversity.
Increasing diversity of thought is in everyone’s interests as it helps avoid the pitfalls of group think, - where similar people think or make decisions as a group, resulting in unchallenged decision-making, and improves risk management and productivity. More equal societies have higher productivity, and high productivity allows more investment to create more equal societies.
Briefing paper: Levelling up high speed broadband
Life is now virtually impossible without high speed internet connection. This briefing paper looks at progress of the roll-out so far and what more can be done.
Read the briefing paper here.
Levelling up access to high speed broadband in Scotland is vital for rural communities currently left behind. Our new briefing paper looks at the roll-out so far and potential for faster progress on this vital infrastructure.
Internet connectivity has become essential for modern life and business is virtually impossible without it. It is critical for productivity and regional equality, and supports education as well as access to public services.
Areas of rural Scotland yet to access high speed broadband are at risk of increasing outward migration accentuating the already ageing population.
The UK Government has stated its intention to deliver infrastructure that improves everyday life across the UK. The two recent financial commitments from the UK Gigabit scheme partnering with the Scottish Government R100 scheme to extend the reach are welcome.
This paper looks at the physical provision of infrastructure not issues related to access as a result of poverty.
The Scottish and UK Governments must complete faster rollout to all rural communities as part of the levelling up agenda and to support economic recovery from Covid-19.
Image credit: Sharing thumbnail image - photo by Compare Fibre free from Unsplash on 29.10.2021
What's Your Action?
DHI launched Whats Your Action after listening to over 4,500 people across Scotland in the largest inter-generational polling and research exercise in the last 5 years.
The research, which included nationwide polling and group conversations, showed people in Scotland are taking action to be kinder, care for the environment and being more conscious about how and where they spend their money, among a host of other actions.
The David Hume Institute launched WhatsYourAction.scot after listening to over 4,500 people across Scotland in the largest inter-generational polling and research exercise in the last 5 years.
The research, which included nationwide polling and group conversations, showed people in Scotland are taking action to be kinder, care for the environment and being more conscious about how and where they spend their money, among a host of other actions.
Across Scotland, we started conversations; with people in different places, from different backgrounds and with different experiences and levels of engagement with policymaking. We asked questions, and listened. We wanted to hear different perspectives about what we can all do and hear people’s priorities for action.
We found so much enthusiasm and energy for tackling Scotland’s persistent problems. The response was loud and clear: we can all do something; every journey starts with a single step - the time for action is now.
People across Scotland shared their actions:
Image from the WhatsYourAction.Scot website which closed in January 2025
Research
In 2020, the David Hume Institute held conversations with people around Scotland. Over 4,500 people contributed to the research from all ages and backgrounds. As well as trusted partner organisations in local communities we worked with the Children’s Parliament, The Scottish Youth Parliament and U3A to ensure we reached a diverse range of participants.
Three priorities came up consistently in the research and people saw the priorities as interlinked;
Be actively kind, considerate and connected in all aspects of your life
Take more and faster action to support the nature and the environment, including through tackling climate change
Make conscious choices with money
People saw the three key priority actions differently for individuals, communities and businesses.
For individuals
Be actively kind, considerate and connected in all aspects of your life
Covid has taught us all we need to make time for being kind. Change starts today.
Be connected. Commit to making time to stop and chat – help build community one conversation at a time.
Seek out ways to get to know people with different backgrounds. Create opportunities to expand your bubble.
Take more and faster action to support nature and the environment, including through tackling climate change
Take action to improve the natural environment such as pick up litter on your street, volunteer with a local environmental group or take part in national initiatives such as the Great British Beach Clean.
Take responsibility for finding out your impact on the world (e.g. use a free tool like Pawprint), and take action to reduce that impact.
Make conscious choices with money
Be a conscious consumer. Wherever you can, use your spending power to support businesses that make a positive impact.
Ask how others are using your money. Assess how your money e.g. savings or a pension, are invested to make an ethical impact.
If you have spare savings, could it be doing more than sitting in a bank? Consider investing in the things or places you care about e.g. new local investment angel groups.
For communities
Be actively kind, considerate and connected in all aspects of your life
Be welcoming and open to new people. Groups are critical to helping people connect and build relationships.
For groups that have a formal role in communities, ensure decision makers have been trained to be inclusive e.g. anti-racist education, unconscious bias training in order to fulfil their responsibilities.
Join in initiatives to help raise awareness of the power of being connected e.g. the big lunch, play streets, window wanderland
Invest in youth work to realise its power to support young people and communities.
Build support around young people so it’s there as and when they need it e.g. through youth work.
Take more and faster action to support nature and the environment, including through tackling climate change
Encourage more people to volunteer and work together to make sure that everyone has access to nature on their doorstep. Make sure playgrounds and parks are accessible for disabled children.
Use the momentum of national campaigns (such as Scotland’s Young People’s Forest) to help.
Use the learning from other communities that have taken collective action on the environment (e.g. community energy projects, green spaces) to bring more and faster progress in your local area.
Make conscious choices with money
Seek out ways to work with other organisations to support and improve your local community.
Use initiatives such as ‘shop local’ campaigns and projects to improve the local economy. Collaborative efforts maximise impact and build a thriving local ecosystem.
For business
Be actively kind, considerate and connected in all aspects of your life
Adults said: Embed working conditions that treat staff with fairness, dignity and respect.
Children said: “Make sure everyone is paid enough money to be happy, healthy and safe, and make sure that there aren’t big differences in how much different people get paid”.
Deliver systematic improvements through fair pay, equality of opportunity, transparency and responsible working practices.
Encourage staff to treat customers and each other with kindness, in all aspects of their lives.
Review recruitment and employment processes. Are they a barrier for some people? If so, change them.
Take more and faster action to support nature and the environment, including through tackling climate change
Take action to reduce environmental impact across your whole supply chain. For example: retailers and manufacturers use less packaging, especially single use plastic and make it possible to recycle more.
Publish a plan for reducing the environmental impact created by your business. Be transparent about your progress towards that plan.
Manage any land and buildings to minimise climate impact (e.g. energy efficiency, etc).
Make conscious choices with money
Prioritise living wage and conditions that support fair work.
Evaluate the social and environmental impact of your business and supply chain – including pensions.
Maximise positive impact through your purchasing power. Help customers make more conscious choices by showing this impact.
Be an active part of your place e.g. local partnerships, training opportunities, and supporting those in need.
The research conversations were also supported by a commissioned ScotPulse population survey to investigate what effect the Covid-19 pandemic had on people’s thoughts and willingness to take action in their own lives.
The ScotPulse survey found:
3 in 4 people (77%) were helping neighbours
7 in 10 people (71%) received help from their families and friends
7 in 10 people (68%) people gave to charity
1 in 10 people say they are going to start volunteering in the local community
1 in 12 people say they are going to get to know their neighbours better
1 in 20 intend to give more to charity
Briefing paper: The Future Generations Act in Wales and beyond
In 2015 the Welsh Assembly Government passed the Well-being of Future Generations Act and appointed Sophie Howe as the first Future Generations Commissioner for Wales in 2016.
A cross party campaign has now been launched, led by Lord Bird, proposing a UK version of the Bill.
In 2015 the Welsh Assembly Government passed the Well-being of Future Generations Act and appointed Sophie Howe as the first Future Generations Commissioner for Wales in 2016.
The Commissioner is ‘the guardian of the interests of future generations in Wales’. Her remit is outlined in the 2015 Act and embedded in Welsh law. It aims to improve the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of the people of Wales and ensure that the decisions of today will benefit the future generations of Wales.
A cross party campaign has now been launched, led by Lord Bird, proposing a UK version of the Bill.
Image credit: sharing thumbnail image by Cristofer Maximilian free licence from Unsplash 3.12.24
Report: Scotland's Productivity Challenge
Scottish productivity has all but stalled in the last fifteen years and a turnaround is required if future living standards are to improve. This report makes recommendations for government, policymakers, business and trade unions, based on the conclusions of new research and case studies.
Scottish productivity has all but stalled in the last fifteen years and a turnaround is required if future living standards are to improve. This report makes recommendations for government, policymakers, business and trade unions, based on the conclusions of new research and case studies. It details five evidence-based stories of what has worked in comparable places and draws lessons from their experiences. In each case a ruthless focus on evidence, building consensus across the political divide, and developing strong and credible institutions were all necessary to turn things around.
The Economics of Climate Change Policy in Scotland
HOP 73. The Economics of Climate Change Policy in Scotland
Nick Hanley
Establishing Competitive Economic Advantage in the Scottish Economy
HOP 61. Establishing Competitive Economic Advantage in the Scottish Economy
Alf Young