Participants

Dr Hannah Randolph - Fellow at the Fraser of Allander Institute

Allison Catalano - Fellow at the Fraser of Allander Institute and the Scottish Health Equity Research Unit (SHERU)

Time stamps

(00:06) Introduction

(01:20) What is the LFS and what are the issues it's been having?

(6:57) Alternative data sources for understanding the labour market

(18:23) Misunderstandings around what's happened in the post-pandemic labour market

(19:39) ONS changes to improve the quality of the LFS

(23:40) How poor employment statistics may impact local decision-making

(27:49) Information about FAI 50th anniversary conference

(00:29) What is GERS and why is it important?

(10:19) What do the latest figures tell us and what factors are driving changes?

(14:23) What were our thoughts on the Scottish Government response?

(25:51) How likely is GERS to feature in the upcoming general election?

04:27 - What does the UK innovation survey say about innovation in Scotland?

07:10 - Is there really a decline in innovation across Scotland?

12:00 - Is business investment in Scotland really less than rest of UK?

15:44 - Product innovation versus process innovation

21:00 - How do skills shortages affect innovation?

24: 00 - How does company size affect innovation?

27:04 - How can businesses collaborate with universities to address skills development?

29:00 - Where is the policy environment in Scotland when it comes to innovation?

(00:38) What is the Scottish Business Monitor?

(02:44) What business types are represented and what is the sample size?

(04:28) Has poor business sentiment from Q1 2025 recovered in Q2?

(06:50) What changes have we seen based on the changes to employer national insurance contributions?

(08:37) What does business sentiment look like for 2026?

(11:26) What factors are contributing to current business sentiment?

Timestamps

(00:23) What is congestion charging?

(02:59) Exemptions

(04:49) Similarities with LEZs

(07:10) Timing of charges

(10:26) Use of discounts & revenue

(14:54) Clyde Tunnel Toll

(16:26) Edinburgh’s failed proposal

(20:13) Other UK charges

(21:43) Effectiveness of congestion charges

(23:37) Glasgow’s public transport system

(25:57) Public attitudes

Timestamps:

(01:55) The Social Policy Association (SPA) and the East Asian Social Policy Research Network (EASP)

(04:15) The Hospitality Sector – Serving the Future Project

(07:30) Learning Disabilities & Employment

(10:30) Child Poverty

(14:40) Housing & Health

(19:10) Labour One Year in Office: Tax Policy & Wealth Taxes?

(24:30) Key Takeaways from the Conference

PARTICIPANTS

Dr Hannah Randolph, Economics Fellow, Fraser of Allander Institute, University of Strathclyde

Professor Mairi Spowage, Director, Fraser of Allander Institute, University of Strathclyde

Ben Cooper, Economics Fellow, Fraser of Allander Institute, University of Strathclyde

TIME STAMPS

(0:20) History of the FAI

(5:30) FAI conference plans

(10:15) Parliamentary reception plans

(11:40) Where to find more information about the FAI 50th