Suspect these aren’t ‘new jobs’ or even new roles. Rather people better placed to work flexibly choosing to relocate themselves in Wales and Scotland to enjoy relatively higher quality of life. Those in more highly paid roles arguably better placed to do this.

New HMRC data on taxpayers needs further development but big rise in taxpayers moving to Scotland occurs during lockdown - less marked among young and big movements event among higher rate payers.

New HMRC data shows taxpayers moving from rest of UK to Scotland despite slightly high tax rates (for some).

Just finished reading new HMRC data for taxpayer migration from devolved nations to rest of UK. A great piece of work and overall good news for Scotland and Wales

Since devolution Scotland's seen a long list of ambitious targets set for its economy, health & environment. It's more important to be more ambitious about activities and actions rather than headline outcomes #FMQs

Figures from the latest Scottish Government Quarterly National Accounts (supplementary tables). Brilliant set of interesting economic data. gov.scot/publications/g…

Christie Commission almost a forgotten memory in the Scottish budget. Desperately trying to fund national services to tackle negative outcomes that have arisen partly from the long term erosion of vital (preventative) local services.

Desperate need to revisit the Christie Commission which said 'we must prioritise expenditure on public services which prevent negative outcomes from arising.'

Challenging financial settlements for both central and local government in the Scottish Government but lack of long term focus in allocating pubic spending.

Some public services now delivered centrally. Even accounting for this local government spending hasn't kept pace with the economy and councils clearly are less well resourced to deliver local services.

Local government spend as share of Scotland's economy peaked in 2005 (nearly 12%) currently around 8%. Central spending share risen nearly continuously from 12% to around 17.5% before pandemic (currently around 19%).

In #scottishbudget debate today worth noting Scotland's shift from local to central government spending over 20 years. Late nineties central government spent £130 for every £100 spent by local government. Figure now currently around £220.

Join cdscotland at their Selling Your Business webinar on 22 Feb to hear Ralph Leishman talk through all #succession options before focussing on #employeeownership . bit.ly/3Par4wL

Back from Japan yesterday and flew back to Fife this morning. Terminal 5 Heathrow looking like a taxi rank for British Airways.

In Japan for the Tokyo Grand Slam today, about to start #judotokyo

What an arena!! 🇯🇵 Tokyo begins 🥋🎥

#Judo Tokyo #Judo #Tokyo #Judo TV

At the University of Hertfordshire to listen to “Treading the Way” the inaugural professorial lecture from Professor Mike Callan.

The Scottish Parliament's health, social care & sport committee visiting Carnegie Judo Club earlier this year. Their report on female participation came out this week.

Fighting Chance Project (Carnegie Judo Club) quoted in Holyrood committee report this week:
'We know that girls from more deprived areas are less likely to walk into the dojo. But we also know that these are the children to which our sport can make the biggest difference.'

#ScotClubConf presentations from rugby and canoe clubs. Interesting that both clubs have focused on non-sports benefits. Maybe we should be less worried about shrinking sports funding pot and enabling clubs to secure funding for social, environmental and health impacts.