This paper proposes a Scottish Space Agency and Spaceport to make Scotland a world leader in industry sector of the future.

The Common Weal Think-tank analysis of GERS 2017 reveals the economic opportunities of Scottish independence

Modest estimates by Common Weal show that an independent Scotland could be better off to the tune of at least £7.5 billion in comparison to the figures in the GERS paper published today effectively cutting the deficit by over half.

Richard Murphy argues that an independent Scotland could fix the inefficiencies and large scale abuses of the UK tax system if it took an entirely different approach, creating a system that works better for Scotland’s economy and society.

This Common Weal note examines how an Open Government approach to Public Finance data can improve its usability and transparency for citizens.

Previous reports determined that an independent Scotland should maintain its own currency. This report outlines how and why Scotland should form a central bank to manage that currency. The philosophy behind why a central bank is important is outlined with extensive reference to modern and historical precedents. Scotland’s central bank would be self-funded and self-sustaining once established and, indeed, should be publicly owned so as to generate a return for the Scottish Treasury.

Common Weal’s submission to the public consultation of the implementation plan for the Scottish National Investment Bank.

Devolving immigration and employment law together can give Scotland the opportunity to create a workers rights-based approach to immigration post-Brexit that benefits all workers.

This paper proposes a devolved immigration policy for Scotland that would be designed to meet the country’s specific demographic challenges while strengthening universal rights for all workers.

This paper lays out the case for the formation of a Scottish Statistics Agency, funded to a level comparable to nations similar to Scotland, which has the power to fill vital gaps in the gathering, analysis and provision of statistics pertaining to Scotland as well as to curate a comprehensive and transparent database of statistics for public use.

The progress of devolution has led to the Scottish Government assuming more direct control over economic policymaking in Scotland and recognition has grown that Scotland’s economy is in many ways distinct from the economies of other parts of the UK. Modern economies as a whole have grown more complex and more interconnected and ever more data driven.

Few in politics and in government now dispute the central importance of getting support for children in their early years right if we want to create a wellbeing economy with healthy and productive citizens in the future. But, in reality, Scotland has a system of support for children in their early years which is a patchwork of initiatives, fixes, legacy services and omissions. What we do not have is a single, well thought- through integrated service. This is what Scotland’s children need.