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Committee reports Date published: 16 January 2026

Inquiry into the harm caused by substance misuse in Scottish Prisons - Monitoring outcomes

We heard views that outcome measures should reflect human realities, such as improvements in wellbeing, family contact, and hope for the future - not only the absence of drug incidentsiiiScottish Parliament Criminal Justice Committee. SPICe analysis of call for views – Inquiry into the harm caused by substance misuse in Scottish prisons (2025).

Committee reports Date published: 18 November 2025

Pre-Budget scrutiny 2026-27: future social security spending in Scotland - Sustainability of social security spend

COSLA called for more investment in local government and emphasised that the limited nature of funding available means the Scottish Government should "move away" from growing devolved social security further.Pre-Budget Scrutiny – SPICe prepared Call for Views Summary The nature of social security spend as being demand-led was also discussed, with the FAI st...

SPICe briefings Date published: 4 November 2025

The Role of Lived Experience in the Scottish Parliament - Context - Parliamentary committees

Communications Managers from the Parliamentary Communications Office (PCO) support committees by developing communications plans and creating content to share committee work and opportunities to get involved. A researcher from the SPICe may predominantly support one committee, or may work with several.

Committee reports Date published: 30 September 2025

Stage 1 report on the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill - The EIA legislation and habitats regulations

The SPICe Bill briefing also sets out the process for strategic environmental assessments which generally mirrors the EIA process, but for plans and programmes rather than individual projects.

Committee reports Date published: 8 February 2024

Stage 1 Report on the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill - Background

A detailed briefing1Evans, A. (2023, August 10). SPICe Briefing - Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill.

SPICe briefings Date published: 24 September 2021

Council Tax Reduction - The number of people getting CTR increased in 2020

Analysis of the impact of revisions to the council tax reduction scheme for working-age caseload in receipt of universal credit. (n.p.): Available in SPICe bib no.62606. Numbers increased substantially during 2020, largely as an impact of COVID-19.

SPICe briefings Date published: 20 August 2021

Marine and Fisheries: Subject Profile - Inshore fisheries

The Shetland Shellfish Management Organisation (SSMO) directly manages and regulates most of Shetland's inshore shellfish fisheries through a Regulating Order, giving it the powers to introduce its own regulations and control entry via license permits. Further reading SPICe briefing - Inshore Fisheries (February 2019) SPICe Blog (4 part series) - The future of fisheries management in Scotland (November 2020)

SPICe briefings Date published: 25 June 2021

Climate Change - Subject Profile - Scottish National Investment Bank

Retrieved from <a href="https://spice-spotlight.scot/2020/09/03/nearing-go-on-the-scottish-national-investment-bank-snib/" target="_blank">https://spice-spotlight.scot/2020/09/03/nearing-go-on-the-scottish-national-investment-bank-snib/</a> [accessed 22 December 2020].

SPICe briefings Date published: 12 May 2021

Key Issues for Session 6: COVID, Climate and Constitution - The end of a marriage or civil partnership – does anyone need to be at fault?

Possible pressure for reform in Scotland SPICe blogged in 2018 about the possible need for a solely no-fault system in Scotland.

SPICe briefings Date published: 12 January 2021

Update to the Climate Change Plan - Background Information and Key Issues - Scottish National Investment Bank