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Semi-final teams are preparing for the penultimate stage of this year’s Donald Dewar Memorial Debating tournament after debating the merits of social media verification. Only two of the 16 spots remain up for grabs ahead of the semi-finals taking place on Thursday. Four teams will then progres

Should voters be able to recall MSPs? And if so, what criteria should be used? These are just two of the questions Holyrood’s Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee is asking and it wants to hear from voters across the country. The work is part of the committee’s conside

A Holyrood Committee is to examine changes to the way that funding is provided for post-school education and skills training. The Education, Children and Young People Committee has opened a call for views on the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill.

Two people have been convicted of wildlife trafficking charges after unknowingly showing off their illegal goods to off-duty wildlife officials. The couple were on a short-haul flight in California when they struck up a conversation by chance with two people seated nearby, not knowing they were offi

MFMac is championing Scottish Whisky as a key sponsor of the Fife Whisky Festival 2025. MFMac has sponsored the festival since its inception in 2018 and the continuation of the partnership reinforces its commitment to Scotland's world-renowned whisky industry.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is taking action to tackle significant delays for people who are trying to access copies of their personal information held by local authorities across Scotland. Under data protection law, people have the right to ask an organisation if it holds thei

Recorded wildlife crime offences fell by 23 per cent, from 286 offences in 2021-22 to 220 offences in 2022-23, according to new figures from the chief statistician. These statistics also contain data on Crown Office cases, criminal proceedings and scientific evidence and intelligence. Key results fr

A round-up of human rights stories from around the world. Amnesty welcomes acquittal of former Turkey chair, laments new crackdown on rights activists | Turkish Minute

The SSC Society has moved the Paul Tweed event to a larger venue in Parliament House and released more tickets due to strong demand. There is no charge for the event and it qualifies for at least one hour of CPD.

A British Army officer who raped and sexually assaulted a woman after meeting her on a dating app has been jailed.  Calum MacGregor was convicted on 30 January 2025 following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh. The 30-year-old left the victim injured by attacking her at her home in Dec

Newly announced plans for legal aid fail to reflect the urgency and scale of the crisis in access to justice, according to the Law Society of Scotland. The Scottish government yesterday released a legal aid discussion paper alongside plans to reduce the administrative burden of legal aid, but has re

Ness Gallagher, a Lanarkshire law firm, is once again taking part in St Andrew’s Hospice Make A Will Month, running throughout March.  For the 12th consecutive year, the firm will waive its usual fees for writing basic wills, instead collecting donations to support the work of St Andrew&r

Scottish beauty therapists and healthcare practitioners carrying out non-surgical cosmetic treatments such as liquid Brazilian butt lifts and Botox injections must have sufficient insurance to protect customers if things go wrong. The warning comes from not-for-profit campaign organisation APIL (the

Reforms to legal aid have been set out to make the system simpler and easier for both solicitors and those who need legal assistance – along with longer-term proposals for funding and improving the delivery of services. Actions set out in a discussion paper aim to simplify the funding system a

The 2025-26 Scottish budget has been approved by Holyrood, including £21.7 billion for health & social care and more than £15bn for local councils, alongside social security measures supporting an estimated two million people. The budget invests: