The Scottish Executive: Draft Budget 2004-05 Summary
Glossary
21st Century Government
21st Century Government is a simple concept. It is that government should be open and accountable, work in partnership, be inclusive, and deliver on its commitments, to deliver what the people of Scotland really want.
Annually Managed Expenditure (AME)
Annually Managed Expenditure is set each year and contains those elements of expenditure that are not readily predictable - such as demand-led programmes under the Common Agricultural Policy.
Audit Scotland
Audit Scotland was set up in April 2000 to audit the accounts of the Executive and other public sector bodies in Scotland, and to make sure that public funds are used properly, efficiently and effectively.
Best Value
To ensure the Executive receives value for money when developing high quality services.
Census of population
The Census is a count of all the people and households in Scotland, and other parts of the UK, which takes place every 10 years. The next Census will be on in 2011.
Closing the Opportunity Gap
To ensure the Executive concentrates its resources and efforts on improving people's lives regardless of where they live.
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
The CAP was set up by the European Union to increase agricultural production, provide a fair standard of living for farmers, and make sure that food is available at reasonable prices. CAP accounts for more than 40% of EC spending.
Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)
The European Union's Common Fisheries Policy manages fisheries in European waters, from the shore out to 20 nautical miles. CFP has four main components, including conservation and management (catch quotas), structural regulations (fleet sizes), marketing regulations (equal access to all fishing grounds), and international relations (agreements with non-EU countries, such as Norway).
Cross-border public authorities
Cross-border public authorities are government departments and agencies that operate in Scotland and other parts of the UK, such as Customs and Excise and the Forestry Commission.
Cross-cutting
Cross-cutting budgets and policies are shared between Ministerial portfolios and Departmental responsibilities, across traditional boundaries.
Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL)
Departmental Expenditure Limits comprises the majority of the Executive's budget comprising both from operating and capital budget, it is also the element of the budget the Barnett formula operates on. DEL is set for three years and the annual DEL spend is subject to End Year Flexibility.
End Year Flexibility (EYF)
End Year Flexibility is the resources that are available to the Scottish Executive to carry forward from one financial year to the next. Most of these funds relate to provision for future spending; slippage in committed capital projects; and fluctuations in demand-led expenditure.
European Structural Funds
European Structural Funds are the second largest item of EU spending, and include the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF), European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG). They are targeted at three main objectives: Objective 1 to promote the development of regions lagging behind the EU average, Objective 2 to support the economic and social conversion of areas facing structural difficulties, and Objective 3 to support education, training and employment. The Executive is the 'managing authority' for the Funds in Scotland.
Executive agency
Semi-autonomous executive agencies operate within a framework set by the responsible Minister, which specifies policies, objectives, and available resources. All agencies are set annual performance targets by their Minister, and the Minister accounts to Parliament for the work of the agency. In the UK, nearly 80% of civil servants now work in executive agencies.
Fairbridge
Fairbridge in Scotland is a national voluntary organisation working with young people tackling some of society's most serious problems. Its long-term personal development programme build up the self-confidence, attitudes and personal and social skills that offer an effective route to social inclusion.
Falkirk Wheel
The 3m 80ft high Falkirk Wheel is part of the 78m Millennium Link that re-opens the Forth and Clyde and Union Canals to navigation from Port Dundas, Glasgow to Lochrin, Edinburgh.
Fast Forward
Fast Forward is a national voluntary organisation that promotes health through education by, with, and for, young people. Since 1987, Fast Forward has worked with every local authority in Scotland and with partners in the private, public, and voluntary sectors.
HM Inspectorate (HMI)
HMI has been an Executive agency since December 2000 and is expected to develop full agency status by 1 April 2001. Its role is to carry out a planned programme of rigorous independent inspection of educational establishments and publish authoritative reports, and to provide professional advice to Ministers, the Executive and other key bodies.
learndirect scotland
learndirect scotland is the brand name used by the Scottish University for Industry (Scottish UfI Ltd) for its services and products, including a freephone helpline, website and a network of learning centres. People can register for an Individual Learning Account on a wide range of learning courses to improve skills to meet labour market demand.
Modern Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships are industry-designed qualifications aimed at training young people at craft, technician and trainee management level.
Modernising government agenda
The modernising government agenda promotes 'joined up' government between departments and agencies, and creates efficiencies in public organisations that will release resources from frontline services.
National Grid for Learning (NGfL)
The NGfL will provide a new way of learning for children and adults across Scotland using Information and Communications Technology (ICT), including the internet.
NDPB
A non-departmental public body (or 'quango') that operates independently of Ministers, although Ministers have ultimate responsibility. There are two main types of NDPB: executive NDPBs, which carry out administrative, regulatory, executive or commercials functions, and advisory NDPBs, which provide independent, expert advice to Ministers.
Objective 1/Objective 2/Objective 3
See European Structural Funds.
"Partnership for a Better Scotland"
The "Partnership for a Better Scotland" sets out new ways of working across traditional Departmental boundaries to target resources better to meet needs, improve services, and deliver real results for the people of Scotland.
Prudential regime
Will increase the efficiency of our spending, enhance the way we report our finances and performance to the public. Above all, to ensure that our spending has maximum impact in meeting our priorities.
Q<R
The Crown Agent, the senior civil servant in the Crown Office, is the Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer and has responsibility for administering the estate of people who die without leaving a will, and for lost property and 'treasure trove'. In Scotland, all items of archaeological and historical interest, as well as gold, silver and other precious metals, are 'treasure trove'.
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is the term used to cover energy sources that occur naturally and repeatedly in the environment, from the sun, wind, oceans and the fall of water (such as solar, wind and wave power). Plant material (energy crops) and combustible waste materials are also renewable sources of energy.
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Society was set up in 1783 for 'the advancement of learning and useful knowledge'. It organises public lectures, conferences and research seminars, advises Parliament and government, administers a range of research fellowships and publishes learned journals.
Scottish Mobility Centre
The Centre (the Edinburgh Driving Assessment Service mobile service) helps people with disabilities who want to learn or return to driving. Therapists and/or medical consultants assess people closer to their home rather than have them travel to Edinburgh. The Centre also provides expert advice on modifying vehicles to suit individual needs.
Social Work Services Inspectorate
The Inspectorate's purpose is to work with others to continually improve social work services so that they genuinely meet people's needs and the public has confidence in them. The Inspectorate provides professional advice to Ministers and manages training programmes.
SMEs
Small (fewer than 50 employees) and medium-sized (50-249 employees) enterprises. In Scotland, 98% of businesses are SMEs, accounting for 45% of total employment.
SMART/SPUR
Grant schemes to help SMEs improve their competitiveness by developing new, highly-innovative and commercially-viable products and process that benefit the national economy.
Spending Review 2000 (SR 2000)
The UK Government's spending review in July 2000 provided an additional 3.4 billion over 3 years for Scotland, which Scottish Ministers allocated to frontline services.
Sustainability/sustainable development
Sustainable development is defined as promoting economic development in such a way as to protect and improve our environment, now and for future generations.
Teaching Profession for the 21st Century
An agreement about the pay and conditions of teachers that refers to the McCrone report. The McCrone report was the report following an independent committee inquiry into professional conditions of service for teachers that made recommendations on a new pay and conditions package for teachers in Scotland.
Total Managed Expenditure (TME)
Total Managed Expenditure comprises the Departmental Expenditure Limit and the Annually Managed Expenditure.