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This paper investigates the relationship between rural space and Brexit. It uses the 2016 UK Referendum outcome and the ongoing processes of Brexit as an optic though which to explore the changing configurations of rural communities and the ways in which they both reinforce and problematise the politics and geographies of Brexit. Taking as its starting point the 'take our country back' nationalism of the 2016 Referendum the paper considers how the anti-migrant, defensive Brexit positions folded into dominant rural imaginaries. Arguing that these imaginaries have always been fractured, the paper shows how this has intensified through the ruralisation of migration in the 2000s. In this context Brexit can be understood as rupture more than a confirmation of nationalist or exclusionary rural imaginaries and the complex intra-rural Leave/Remain geography is indicative of this. Drawing on a small set of in-depth interviews with expert 'policy actors' from rural community and migrant organisations in rural regions in of Wales, England, and Scotland the paper reflects on the rural-Brexit relationship by exploring rural diversity, perceptions of the impacts of Brexit on rural places and rural-migrant dependencies that are social as well as economic. It identifies the interconnected precarity of rural communities' well-being as the decisions of (and constraints on) rural migrants in the post Brexit, re-bordered UK disrupt and affect rural livability. In doing so, it emphasises the ambivalence in the everyday 'rural Brexit' and calls for closer attention to the ways in which rural communities are constitutive of and respond to political turbulence. • Develops the nascent debates around the relationship between Brexit and the rural. • Examines the complexity of that relationship across three national contexts. • Brings together the sociological literature around Brexit with insights from rural sociology. • Explores the lacunae between the rural as an expression of nationalism and the rural as a lived and fluid space. • Draws on and presents situated policy responses from an exploratory empirical study. • Reflects on emergent senses of rural precarity and the importance of rural interdependencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much research surrounds the move from publicly owned and operated bus markets to publicly controlled and privately operated markets, or in the case of Great Britain, a fully deregulated market. Little research however exists concerning the counter move and the issues that this may raise. Such a step would be consistent with Gwilliam's regulatory cycle, which suggests that a combination of self seeking behaviour of suppliers and unrealistic aspirations of politicians leads to instability in the regulatory arrangements for the provision of bus services. Consequently, the associated structural and institutional arrangements go through a cycle of private/public ownership and competitive/regulated markets. The paper discusses some of the practicalities at the regional level of introducing the measures provided by the Bus Services Act 2017 in England and the Transport Act 2019 in Scotland, both of which offer the option of a partial or full economic reregulation of bus services. Theories of radical policy change are examined and applied in the context of the issue through interviews with key informants in regional authorities in Scotland and England. The overriding conclusion from this analysis is that whilst deregulating the market does not actually break Gwilliam's regulatory cycle, it makes it very difficult to 're-connect', and thus a further long term consequence of bus deregulation in Britain in the mid 1980s is that future policy options may have been severely restricted in the very long term. • Identifying the key factors required to bring about radical transport policy change. • Bus de-regulation represented a clear break in the regulatory cycle and as such has compromised longer term policy actions. • The importance of real transport governance and the financial ability to carry through policy actions. • A major divergence between actions policy makers think is required, and the realities to which those actions are targeted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We propose a two-sector growth model inspired by unified growth theory, which captures the crucial phenomena of structural change and changes in adult survival rate along the Industrial Revolution. • We estimate the individual contribution of technological progress, adult mortality, workforce, and the accumulation of fixed and human capital to the overall growth of Great Britain's economy during the period 1541–1914. • We find a U-shaped relationship between adult survival and income per worker. • We find a crucial and complex role of adult survival on the transition between regimes. • We find that the accumulation of fixed capital is the driving force behind the transition from a Malthusian to a pre-modern regime. This paper proposes a framework inspired by the Unified Growth Theory and by the literature on structural change to assess the contribution of technology, adult mortality, workforce, and physical and human capital accumulation to the transition from Malthusian stagnation to modern growth. A calibrated version of the model is capable of reproducing the dynamics of Great Britain's (i.e. England, Wales and Scotland) economy during the period 1541–1914, matching both the timing of transition and the pattern of the main macroeconomic and demographic variables. Technological progress emerges as the prime mover until 1850, while thereafter the reduction in adult mortality and factors accumulation play the major role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Impact and uncertainty framework for the identification of compound hydro-hazards. • UK example application using EDgE RCP8.5 projections. • NE Scotland and SW UK identified as spatio-temporally compound hotspot regions. • Hydrological models identified as the largest source of variability. • Raises questions regarding spatial variability of hydroclimatological modelling uncertainty. There exists an increasing need to understand the impact of climate change on the hydrological extremes of flood and drought, collectively referred to as 'hydro-hazards'. At present, current methodology are limited in their scope, particularly with respect to inadequate representation of the uncertainty in the hydroclimatological modelling chain. This paper proposes spatially consistent comprehensive impact and uncertainty methodological framework for the identification of compound hydro-hazard hotspots – hotspots of change where concurrent increase in mean annual flood and drought events is projected. We apply a quasi-ergodic analysis of variance (QE-ANOVA) framework, to detail both the magnitude and the sources of uncertainty in the modelling chain for the mean projected mean change signal whilst accounting for non-stationarity. The framework is designed for application across a wide geographical range and is thus readily transferable. We illustrate the ability of the framework through application to 239 UK catchments based on hydroclimatological projections from the EDgE project (5 CMI5-GCMs and 3 HMs, forced under RCP8.5). The results indicate that half of the projected hotspots are temporally concurrent or temporally successive within the year, exacerbating potential impacts on society. The north-east of Scotland and south-west of the UK were identified as spatio-temporally compound hotspot regions and are of particular concern. This intensification of the hydrologic dynamic (timing and seasonality of hydro-hazards) over a limited time frame represents a major challenge for future water management. Hydrological models were identified as the largest source of variability, in some instances exceeding 80% of the total variance. Critically, clear spatial variability in the sources of modelling uncertainty was also observed; highlighting the need to apply a spatially consistent methodology, such as that presented. This application raises important questions regarding the spatial variability of hydroclimatological modelling uncertainty. In terms of water management planning, such findings allow for more focussed studies with a view to improving the projections which inform the adaptation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper evaluates the tensions that result from routinely applying SEA to all policies, plans and programmes within Scotland. The European Union SEA Directive, effective in many EU member states from 2004, introduced a requirement for environmental assessment of certain plans and programmes. Scotland, a devolved nation within the EU member state of the United Kingdom, aimed to be a ‘world leader in SEA’ by legislating for SEA to be undertaken of all public sector plans, programmes and strategies, with the word ‘strategies’ being equated with ‘policies’. This paper presents detailed data regarding Scottish SEA activity between 2004 and 2007, including responses to consultations on SEA reports. This empirical research found that, reflecting a general difficulty in determining where and when SEA should be applied, engagement with the SEA process was not as widespread as intended (including the pre-screening and screening stages). Eight tensions evident from Scotland''s application of SEA are identified, and their broader relevance is examined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this paper was to examine the effect of regional accent on speechreading accuracy and the utility of contextual cues in reducing accent effects. Study 1: Participants were recruited from Nottingham (n =24) and Glasgow (n =17). Their task was to speechread 240 visually presented sentences spoken by 12 talkers, half with a Glaswegian accent, half a Nottingham accent. Both participant groups found the Glaswegian talkers less intelligible (p <0.05). A significant interaction between participant location and accent type (p <0.05) indicated that both participant groups showed an advantage for speechreading talkers with their own accent over the opposite group. Study 2: Participants were recruited from Nottingham (n =15). The same visual sentences were used, but each one was presented with a contextual cue. The results showed that speechreading performance was significantly improved when a contextual cue was used (p <0.05). However the Nottingham observers still found the Glaswegian talkers less intelligible than the Nottingham talkers (p <0.05). The findings of this paper suggest that accent type may have an influence upon visual speech intelligibility and as such may impact upon the design, and results, of tests of speechreading ability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: There is a demonstrable link between parking availability, price and mode choice, and parking policy has been shown to be a powerful demand management tool. Parking however is clearly an area of policy conflict since using it to manage demand may reduce revenue generation, or (be perceived to) damage the local economy. In terms of on-street and off-street parking there are a wide range of users who often have conflicting opinions, which have to be taken into account in its management, invariably leading to parking policies and measures that do not maximise the demand management potential of parking. This paper presents a range of public and business opinion data, from the case study of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, collected as part of the consultation for its parking strategy in 2005–2006. The strategy covers a wider geographical area than simply the city centre, and whilst this paper makes reference to this wider area it primarily deals with the city centre since that is where the majority of the parking strategy issues are to be found. After setting the policy and political context, the paper goes on to present these data. It then shows how the city''s parking policies were changed in response to the consultation. These policy changes are compared with parking policies that would solely manage travel demand, to demonstrate how the political process leads to compromise in the formulation of parking policies and measures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Drawing on interviews with practitioners involved in voluntary-sector counselling in Scotland, this paper explores contradictions associated with the professionalisation of counselling in the UK. Five meanings of the term “professional” are identified. Those in support of professionalisation aim to bring these different meanings into close alignment, whereas those with reservations point to tensions between at least some of these meanings and core values of counselling. In conclusion the paper reflects on the possibility that counselling might contribute to a reshaping of what it means to be a profession. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The Finnish Baby Box provides parents of newborns with a wide range of infant clothing and other basics. • The cardboard box in which the infant can sleep was emphasized by the media and commercial companies outside Finland. • The box preventing SIDS was advanced by private companies and the media. • This was less the case in Wales and Scotland, a result of their being governed by authorities with a "left" orientation. For over 80 years the Finnish state has provided expectant mothers with a cardboard box containing an extensive collection of clothing, bathing products for the baby, nappies, bedding and a small mattress. Numerous jurisdictions have implemented it in some form. We investigated through a critical case study methodology whether its translation into the liberal welfare states of Canada, UK, and USA experienced message distortion (the box as a means of preventing SIDS), commercialization, watering down of content; and separation from the complex of Finnish welfare state policies that support families with children. We find that only Scotland and Wales recognized the decommodification and equity roles played by the baby box. This study identified numerous barriers to building progressive public policy in Canada, UK, and USA: the structures and processes of the liberal welfare state, commercial interests that skew public policymaking and media logic that limits news reporting to the concrete and simple, eschewing complex analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire resistance is one of the most enduring ideas in fire safety design. This paper charts the emergence of fire resistance , and its rise to ubiquity – with a focus on British codes and standards. Beginning as a method for independent testing of 'fireproofing' systems, fire resistance was formalised in the USA, and subsequently in the UK. Minimum fire resistance periods were defined that would allow a structure to resist burnout of the fuel in a compartment; these minimum periods became legislatively empowered in the 1950s. Over subsequent decades the required periods of fire resistance evolved in response to uncertainties and competing motives. It is shown that within UK guidance, where statutory guidance recommends 30 min as a period of fire resistance , such buildings are not expected to resist burnout. Where guidance recommends more than 30 min fire resistance (for offices or residential buildings), it is intended that such buildings should resist burnout. This paper aims to assist those with responsibility for meeting the requirements of the building regulations to consider for themselves whether following the guidance in the approved documents (or technical handbooks in Scotland) is likely to be sufficient to discharge their responsibilities as construction professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant proportion of the United Kingdom's (UK's) healthcare workforce comprises people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds. Evidence shows that this population is under-represented at senior management levels. A collaborative leadership development initiative for BME nurses and midwives, by involving their line managers and mentors, was designed and implemented in a Scottish Health Board. This paper affirms the importance of a collaborative initiative that is targeted to support BME nurses and midwives for leadership development and career progression, and the promotion of an inclusive organisational culture to improve team work, and service standards. This initiative adopted an Action Research approach. The programme began with collectively exploring participants' understanding of BME workforce development challenges, then planning and delivering a targeted leadership development training, and then evaluating it, in a cyclical way. With support from the project facilitators, line managers and mentors, a significant number of BME participants have gone on to achieve career progression. Participating line-managers and mentors have gained an in-depth and nuance understanding of workforce diversity, individuals' potentials, unconscious biases, and the importance of an inclusive organisational culture. All participants reported that they have learned to become more reflective in their professional practice, and more able to explore, embrace, and promote inclusive workplace culture. BME participants reported feeling that they were valued members of staff, and that this had led to a positive impact on team work and better patientcare outcome. The project has opened a new window into the world of the BME workforce. Findings highlight the value of a diverse workforce, and of an inclusive organisational culture being crucial for effective team work, and of overall benefit to workforce management. Finally, a collaborative initiative like this can successfully improve team work to deliver better patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify the patient classification systems used to classify nursing intensity in the assessment of nursing staffing resources currently used in home health care, with a special emphasis on validity, reliability and staff allocation. Scoping review of internationally published and grey literature, based on a methodological framework by Arksey and O'Malley. Searches of the electronic databases Cinahl, Medline, Embase and SweMed, the websites Google and Google Scholar and hand searches of reference lists occurred. Eligibility criteria included (A) a focus on patient classification systems measuring nursing intensity and workload in home health care and (B) published in English between January 2007 and March 2019. In level one testing two team members screened titles and abstracts, in level two testing two team members determined which papers should undergo a full text review. Data were extracted using structured extraction by one team member and verified by two other members. Thirteen peer-reviewed articles and grey literature documents were identified, from Canada, Ireland, the UK, the USA, Scotland, Turkey and the Netherlands. Four patient classification systems had been tested for both validity and reliability. Validity was tested through face validity, predictive validity, concurrent validity or content validity index. Reliability was tested through stability, internal consistency, observer agreement or inter rater reliability. One patient classification system had been tested only for reliability, through interrater reliability and observer agreement. Two patient classification systems had been evaluated through summative evaluation; one qualitatively through focus group interviews and one through semi-structured interviews. Only one patient classification system had been validity and reliability tested and evaluated. Overall, the patient classification systems in the included papers (13) were considered to have benefits and to be appropriate for the measurement of patients' needs, workload and allocation of staff, although specific information was not always given. Little has been published on validity or reliability tested patient classification systems linked to staffing allocation in home health care in the past decade. Limited research was seen where a patient classification system was considered to be fully operational in home health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gamma-rays from naturally occurring radionuclides are a major component of background radiation. They are an important tool for geology and are also important for radiation protection. In this paper we use over a quarter of a million geochemical measurements of concentrations of potassium, thorium and uranium in soils and in stream sediments to estimate outdoor gamma-ray dose rates across Great Britain. The soil concentrations are generally at a depth of 5–20 cm with some at 35–50 cm. Soil measurements will give spatially relatively precise estimates, but as soil data are not available for much of Scotland, stream sediment data are used there. Kriging methods are used to estimate surface concentrations of K, Th and U and dose rates are imputed from these concentrations. Our results are compared with measurement surveys of both outdoor and indoor gamma-ray dose rates. Recently there has been interest in exploring the carcinogenic risks of low dose radiation by investigating associations between childhood cancer rates and doses from natural background gamma radiation. To achieve adequate statistical power, such studies must be so large that it is impractical to assess exposures by direct measurements in the homes of study subjects. Instead the exposures must be modelled. The results presented here will be an important input to such work. • Geochemical data used to estimate outdoor gamma-ray dose rates across Great Britain. • Results compared with measurement surveys of outdoor and indoor gamma-ray dose rates. • New data will be used in future childhood cancer modelling epidemiological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Spending time in natural (green/blue) environments offers multiple benefits to individuals. • Disparities exist between population groups in frequency of visits to natural environments. • Analysis of the gender gap amongst subgroups highlights further (intersectional) inequalities. • Key population subgroups for green health policies and programmes to target are identified. Spending time outdoors in natural environments is associated with an array of benefits to individuals' health and wellbeing, as well as being implicated in the development of connections to the natural world, attachment to place, and environmental stewardship behaviours. Disparities between population subgroups in relation to frequency of nature contact may, however, shape the extent to which natural environments deliver benefits to marginalised population subgroups. In this paper we examine disparities in contact with nature amongst the adult population of Scotland, UK using cross-sectional data from the Scottish Household Survey (N = 19,441). The analysis proceeds to explore whether the observed 'gender gap' between men and women in nature contact persists across the intersections of population subgroups and geographies. The findings point to inequalities in contact with nature which should be considered in public policy agendas to promote use of natural environments across urban and rural areas. The findings also highlight the value of adopting intersectional perspectives in the consideration of environmental justice issues surrounding access to natural environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper was inspired to answer the fundamental question on whether electric battery powered ships can ultimately be a promising solution for future maritime environmental protection. The overall process was designed to demystify the holistic environmental benefits and harms of 14 primary energy sources for electricity production in consideration of the national-specific cases of 33 countries. A series of comparative analyses between the diesel as the reference fuel and the battery-electric propulsions were conducted with 27 short-route ferries engaged in Scotland coastal areas. A key message obtained from the analysis results were that the impact of battery application was far from the zero-emission shipping in the lifecycle perspective. Moreover, the same vessels were found to yield completely different environmental performances, depending on how those countries produce electricity. In some Asian countries heavily relying on fossil-based power generation, the environmental impact of battery operation was estimated far greater than that of diesel operation in the UK. Case studies were, then, scaled-up to about 5500 marine vessels presently engaged in international voyages. In general, consistent results were found. Research findings distinctively demonstrated the misguidance of current maritime policies for encouraging battery-powered ships and identified that these shortcomings would stem from the limitations of current practices of maritime environmental assessment. Lastly, it strongly suggested to the marine industry and stakeholders that the environmental protection from shipping activities would be not only a matter of ships but also a matter of how the national power grid develops. • Lifecycle environmental benefits/harms of hybrid ships were demystified. • Underlying parameters for ship environmental performance were identified. • Corrective actions were proposed for proper use of electric ship propulsion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death amongst young people aged 15–29 globally and amongst this young population, lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT+) young people have higher rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts than their cisgender (non-trans), heterosexual peers. However, despite well-established knowledge on the existence of this health inequality, in the UK there has been a paucity of research exploring why this disparity exists, and this is particularly the case in Scotland. This paper aims to address this gap, reporting on the first study specifically seeking to understand LGBT+ young people's suicidal thoughts and attempts in Scotland. We used a qualitative methodology to explore how young people with lived experience of suicidal distress make sense of the relationship between homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, and suicidal thoughts and attempts. We undertook in-depth, narrative interviews with twenty-four LGBT+ people aged 16–24, and analysed them using reflexive thematic analysis. Drawing on this analysis, we argue that suicide can be understood as a response to stigma, discrimination and harassment, made possible by a cultural climate that positions LGBT+ people as different or other , reinforcing norms regarding gender conformity and sexuality. We suggest in turn, that this cultural climate provides fertile ground from which more explicit acts of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, such as bullying and family rejection are able to grow. In response to this, LGBT+ young people could begin to experience senses of entrapment, rejection and isolation, to which suicidal thoughts and attempts can be understood as responses. Consequently, we propose that these stigma experiences must be taken seriously and tackled directly in order to reduce LGBT + suicide in the future. • Queerphobia can act as a central contributor to LGBT + youths' suicidal distress. • Queerphobia is made possible by socially accepted norms of gender and sexuality. • Rejection of youths' gender or sexuality can be understood as rejection of the whole self. • Suicide can be seen as a way to escape or embody rejection from others. • To prevent LGBT + suicide, prevention strategies must tackle queerphobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the autumn of 2014 the residents of Scotland, but not other parts of the UK, will vote on whether to leave the UK and to become a separate state, with a positive vote leading to an independent parliament expected to be elected in 2016. It would remain within the EU and in compliance with its acquis communitaire. This paper identifies issues that would have to be addressed in preparing for and creating a new system of governance for telecommunications markets on that tight timescale. A Scottish Parliament and devolved administration were created in 1999, though without powers over telecommunications or competition law. The Scottish administration has its own economic strategy in which the deployment and adoption of broadband play a part. The creation of new countries has been commonplace in recent years (e.g., in the fission of the USSR and Yugoslavia), but are not precedents for the independence of one part of a regulatory state in which markets deliver services. Less than one-tenth of the UK market would be separated, with all the laws, rules and institutional arrangements to be replicated. The biggest challenge would be to split the existing licences and market operations, one for Scotland and one for the rest of the UK. Operators would revaluate Scotland and would seek to revisit established regulatory decisions, though with a new regulator lacking information about the costs, market shares and viabilities of the new operators and the new markets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is an essential tool in the fight against climate change. Any prospective storage site must meet various criteria that ensure the effectiveness, safety and economic viability of the storage operations. Finding the most suitable site for the storage of the captured CO 2 is an essential part of the CCS chain of activity. This work addresses the site selection of a second site for the Acorn CCS project, a project designed to develop a scalable, full-chain CCS project in the North Sea (offshore northeast Scotland). This secondary site has been designed to serve as a backup and upscaling option for the Acorn Site, and has to satisfy pivotal project requirements such as low cost and high storage potential. The methodology followed included the filtering of 113 input sites from the UK CO 2 Stored database, according to general and project-specific criteria in a multi-staged approach. This criteria-driven workflow allowed for an early filtering out of the less suitable sites, followed by a more comprehensive comparison and ranking of the 15 most suitable sites. A due diligence assessment was conducted of the top six shortlisted sites to produce detailed assessment of their storage properties and suitability, including new geological interpretation and capacity calculations for each site. With the new knowledge generated during this process, a critical comparison of the sites led to selection of East Mey as the most suitable site, due to its outstanding storage characteristics and long-lasting hydrocarbon-production history, that ensure excellent data availability to risk-assess storage structures. A workshop session was held to present methods and results to independent stakeholders; feedback informed the final selection criteria. This paper provides an example of a criteria-driven approach to site selection that can be applied elsewhere. • CO 2 storage site selection for the Acorn CCS project in the North Sea. • Criteria-driven approach based on geological, economic, and safety aspects. • Multi-staged methodology including filtering, comparison and ranking of sites. • East Mey selected thanks to its storage characteristics and hydrocarbon history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Harold Shipman, a GP in the North West, became one of England''s most notorious serial killers when he murdered more than 200 of his patients over a 30-year period. The ensuing investigation was highly critical of the General Medical Council''s approach to managing dangerous and incompetent doctors, and called for reform. Subsequently, Sir Liam Donaldson, outlined the principles and steps of revalidation implementation in the UK, based on discussions of the proposals in the Government White Paper, ‘Trust, assurance and safety – the regulation of health professionals in the 21st century’. Many doctors may not be fully aware of the process of appraisal and revalidation as well as the documentations required for these. In addition, it can be confusing to some as doctors in training are already being workplace assessed. The aim of this article is to provide guidance and references to doctors in training in order to prepare for appraisal and revalidation. The General Medical Council, together with the health departments in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England, and NHS employers, are moving into the implementation phase and will make revalidation a reality. It is planned that revalidation will be launched in late 2012. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper we evaluated the distributional effects on actors in the milk market of a hypothetical programme to eradicate bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) from the Scottish dairy herd. With this in mind, we applied an economic welfare methodology which utilizes data on price, on output quantity, on elasticities of supply and demand and on simulated cost and yield effects of an eradication programme. Our analysis is based on Markov-chain Monte Carlo simulation of BVD spread in the dairy herd. We found that consequent upon the eradication of the disease milk yield per cow increased for all herd sizes in Scotland whereas milk price received by farmers fell. Consequently, milk consumers gained around £11 million in discounted economic surplus and producers with infected herds gained around £39 million whereas producers with un-infected herds lost around £2 million in discounted surplus. On balance, however, the eradication programme generated around £ 47 million in discounted economic gain for Scotland. We found that the results are sensitive to changes in yield gains made by owners of the infected herd. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: To describe the UK Food Surveillance System (FSS UK) currently in operation in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and being introduced UK-wide, particularly in relation to the development, scope and roll-out of the system. Study design: Pilot questionnaire, followed by pilot information technology (IT)-based study and subsequent roll-out. Methods: A paper-based trial of data collection was introduced, followed by an IT-based pilot and the subsequent development of an IT-based system and an Internet-based resource. A project working group and specific user groups were formed to assist the dedicated project team to progress the project. The groups' compositions reflect the interests of the various partner organizations, including the involvement of the Food Standards Agency. Results: Following the successful pilot study, Health Protection Scotland was commissioned by the Food Standards Agency to develop and roll-out FSS UK to councils and their partner laboratories throughout the UK within a 3-year period. Conclusion: The development of FSS UK provides the opportunity to compare and contrast national food sample data, highlight emerging food-related trends and provide an early warning system for food-related issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Timing of ecosystem restoration can influence its resilience to climate change. • This study quantifies the opportunity cost of delaying restoration-based GHG mitigation. • Delaying mitigation substantially decreases the economic benefits of peatland restoration. • Climate change beliefs explain variation in benefits of increased peatland resilience. • Results provide economic arguments for early investments in nature-based solutions. Ecosystem restoration and, in particular, peatland restoration, are considered a promising greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation strategy to move towards net zero emissions. To remain within acceptable limits for projected warming scenarios, inaction with respect to GHG mitigation in the short term implies a need for even larger removals of GHGs in the longer term, which can be conceptualized as a 'mitigation debt'. This paper explores the economic implications of delaying GHG mitigation through ecosystem restoration using data of a large survey (N = 1377) that included a choice experiment to elicit the public's willingness to pay (WTP) for peatland restoration in Scotland, UK. The valuation specifically considers the interaction between the timing of restoration action and long-term ecosystem resilience. We find that respondents have a substantial WTP for peatland restoration. Importantly, we find considerable benefits for early restoration action (up to £191 million annually in our case study), which is linked to an increased resilience of peatlands under future climate change. This demonstrates that delaying restoration and thus accumulating a mitigation debt has an important opportunity cost that substantially decreases the related economic benefits. Attitudes towards climate change and climate change beliefs are found to explain variation in the public's WTP. Our research strengthens the economic argument for not delaying climate change mitigation through ecosystem restoration, demonstrating that the mitigation debt also translates into a welfare loss. To fully realise the potential benefits associated with immediate mitigation using peatland restoration, however, more needs to be understood about the mechanisms that facilitate large-scale implementation in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have employed anthropogenic radionuclides deposited in accumulating sediments to derive chronologies for use in investigations of geomorphological processes and in reconstructing temporal trends in contaminant deposition. However, relatively few have interrogated their use in systems that erode as well as accrete sediment, or have addressed limitations in their applicability in systems that experience variable rates of accumulation. This paper examines the utility of Sellafield-derived radionuclides for reconstructing sedimentary processes in two contrasting saltmarsh systems in the south-west of Scotland. Sedimentation rates and patterns derived from the radionuclide chronologies are outlined and compared to results established through conventional geomorphological methods. The results confirm that the vertical distribution of anthropogenic radionuclides can be useful in determining sedimentation rates, but that these cannot always be used as indicators of contemporary processes, particularly where erosion is occurring. Their use is also limited unless profiles are obtained from spatially diverse geomorphological units. Integrating the use of chronologies with other independent methods secures more robust data for assessing both marsh sustainability and their longevity as radionuclide sinks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper contributes to a better understanding the self-catering accommodation sector by considering its nature and scope within Scotland, the UK and the international context. It reviews the available literature search and also presents an exhaustive search of the Internet. The term “self catering accommodation” typically refers to cottages and holiday flats, but also may include larger premises as well as mobile units such as boats. Student accommodation comes into this category, as do serviced apartments for business use. Self-catered accommodation is widely used for activity holidays, and courses for outward-bound or country pursuits. The sector is considered in terms of economic impact, ownership, and mode of use, and an analysis of the market shows that it has grown and changed rapidly since the 1980s driven by changes in the economy and advances in technology. During the same period demand has increased due to demographic, economic and lifestyle changes, the predominant segments being older and middle-aged customers and young couples without children. The growth of short break holidays and a growing interest in country pursuits and activity holidays favour the self-catering sector. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Both the UK''s Labour Government and Scotland''s devolved Labour–Liberal Democrat coalition Executive have committed themselves to reducing health inequalities. Furthermore, both institutions have emphasised the importance of using evidence to inform policy responses. In light of such political commitments, a significant amount of work has been undertaken in the field of health inequalities in order to: (i) review the available research evidence; (ii) assess the extent to which policies have been based on this research evidence; and (iii) evaluate the success (or failure) of policies to tackle health inequalities. Yet so far only limited attention has been given to exploring how key actors involved in research-policy dialogues understand the processes involved. In an attempt to address this gap, this article draws on data from semi-structured interviews with 58 key actors in the field of health inequalities research and policymaking in the UK to argue that it is ideas, rather than research evidence, which have travelled from research into policy. The descriptions of the varying journeys of these ideas fit three types—successful, partial and fractured—each of which is outlined with reference to one example. The paper then employs existing theories about research-policy relations and the movement of ideas in an attempt to illuminate and better understand the contrasting journeys. In the concluding discussion, it is argued that the third approach, which focuses on the entrepreneurial processes involved in the marketing of ideas, is most helpful in understanding the research findings, but that this needs to be discussed in relation to the political context within which negotiations take place. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Existing health promotion messages and advice on smoking cessation focus upon the negative aspects of continuing to smoke and contrast these to the benefits of giving up. Benefits of cessation are invariably linked to reduced risks of illness and disease with the process of cessation framed as a largely positive and certainly a health enhancing one.In this paper we present an analysis of data from a cross-sectional, exploratory study in the city of Aberdeen, Scotland, undertaken with 54 people, aged 18–44, who are or have been smokers. The multiple and often contradictory agendas of everyday life, smoking and health are explored. Participants spoke of the dangers of smoking and the potential benefits of giving up as these are considered by health promotion and medical research. However, many smokers experienced a number of benefits from smoking (such as socialising with others and breaks from boredom), and health and social problems with the process of cessation (for example, weight gain, stress, colds, flu). Participants appeared to query the validity of the risks of continuing to smoke and yet indicate a range of health and social difficulties in giving up.The authors assert that an acknowledgement of the attractive, pleasurable aspects of smoking may be seen as unacceptable and irresponsible but this could well provide an opportunity to relate to the everyday and multiple practices of smoking and smokers themselves as illuminated by this research. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Offshore CCS research & development making good progress in Scotland and wider UK. • Yet differing views between oil and gas developers and civil society on CCS. • Survey and interview research explores differences between stakeholders. • Respondents more familiar with CCS tend to see it as more necessary for mitigation. • CCS most likely to find stakeholder support for specific and/or localised uses. Although Scotland and the wider UK is making good progress with research and development towards deployment of offshore carbon capture and storage, there is increasing divergence in opinion on the necessity of CCS for meeting climate change targets. Oil and gas operators appear optimistic about the technical feasibility of CCS; whereas civil society and NGOs are increasingly vocal in their scepticism towards the necessity of CCS in a net-zero society. Given that operators' expertise may be required to support offshore CO 2 storage given their subsea experience, and that civil society is important in shaping government and public opinion, this divergence may be a challenge to offshore CCS deployment in the UK and elsewhere. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the grounds on which oil and gas operators' views on CCS differ from a wider range of stakeholders, through a survey and in-depth interviews. Our results show that people with more knowledge of CCS are more likely to support its deployment, and that strong belief in anthropogenic climate change is lower – albeit rising – among oil and gas respondents. Our results also show concern that the net-zero transition may have negative effects for carbon-intensive regions, and that storage expertise is the UK's strongest skill set for CCS deployment. We suggest that across a range of stakeholders, the value of CCS is thus most likely to lie in specific applications (e.g. hydrogen) and/or very specific localities (e.g. places with existing subsurface knowledge and skills), rather than widespread deployment as a mitigation technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely acknowledged that faced with diverse future impacts (including extreme weather events, economic instability, energy supply vulnerabilities and pandemics) buildings and communities' worldwide need to become increasingly resilient. The work presented in this paper investigates how Community Design and Decision Making (CDDM) processes can be enhanced using smart decision making techniques involving Building Performance Simulation (BPS). This work presents action research based on findings from a real-world case study project involving the design of a mixed-use zero carbon community centre, planned for the Findhorn Eco-Community, in Scotland, UK. Throughout the conceptual and early design stages the community played a crucial part in the decision-making process. BPS results coupled with the use of sensitivity analysis (SA) techniques incorporating resilience as a performance criterion contributed to establishing a multi-criteria evidence base from which to inform the CDDM process. Although not yet fully implemented in commercial simulation tools, the approaches used (e.g. uncertainty analysis, using resilience as a performance objective) proved to be invaluable in informing and facilitating the CDDM process. Overall an integrated two-way communication process (using BPS and uncertainty analysis for decision support) enabled the community to play an informed role in the design decision-making process. • Building simulation is poorly integrated in Community Design and Decision Making (CDDM). • Action research was used to assess building simulation in designing a zero-carbon community centre. • Resilience was evaluated as a design objective using smart decision making and building simulation. • Expert explanation of the 'how and why' of simulation facilitated acceptance of building simulation. • When used transparently building simulation showed great potential to enhance the CDDM process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The iron and steel industry has a long tradition of bulk reuse of slags for a range of construction applications. Growing interest in recent years has seen slag resource recovery options extend to critical raw material recovery and atmospheric carbon capture. Full scale deployment of such technologies is currently limited in part by absent or partial inventories of slag deposit locations, data on composition, and volume estimates in many jurisdictions. This paper integrates a range of spatial information to compile a database of iron and steel slag deposits in mainland United Kingdom (UK) for the first time and evaluate the associated resource potential. Over 190 million tonnes of legacy iron and steel slag are present across current and former iron and steel working regions of the UK, with particular concentrations in the north west and north east of England, and central Scotland. While significant potential stockpiles of blast furnace and basic oxygen furnace slag could provide up to 0.9 million tonnes of vanadium and a cumulative carbon dioxide capture potential of 57–138 million tonnes, major management challenges for resource recovery are apparent. Over one third are located in close proximity to designated conservation areas which may limit resource recovery. Furthermore, land use analyses show that many of the sites have already been redeveloped for housing (nearly 30% urban cover). Deposits from recent decades in current or recently closed steel-working areas may have the greatest potential for resource recovery where such ambitions could be coupled with site restoration and regeneration efforts. Unlabelled Image • Iron and steel-making slags have considerable resource recovery potential. • The extent of legacy iron and steel slag deposits was previously not well quantified. • A national database of slag deposits was created and analysed for mainland UK sites. • Carbon capture potential and critical raw materials (CRM) recovery potential estimated. • Current land use and conservation designations may limit resource recovery viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a complex relationship between land-use, the environment, food production and quality. Regulatory and non-regulatory interventions, such as application of biosolids to agricultural land, are often undertaken at a field- or farm- level and the aggregated effects across farms and regions are difficult to understand, predict, and communicate to others both spatially and temporally. The aim of this paper was to introduce Waste to Land (W2L). W2L is a novel, holistic tool that combines spatial data analysis methods, multi-criteria analysis, and numerical models to detect areas for optimum biosolids application and to predict the spatial effect of applying biosolids to land. A robust framework was developed first to chart the effects of applied biosolids on the environment and, potentially, on the human food chain. Selecting cadmium as a prototype contaminant, a conceptual model was designed as the basis to define the workflow for the tool. Using the open-source, statistical language R and freely available data, the operation and outputs from the tool were demonstrated at a national scale in Scotland, UK. The results provided fresh intelligence on the ability of the Scottish Landbank to receive biosolids and on the spatial effect of landspreading biosolids, to facilitate the exchange of information between stakeholders, and to enable decision-making in a context of spreading biosolids on farmland. • A novel tool to predict the spatial effect of applying biosolids to land is proposed • The tool combines spatial data analysis, multi-criteria analysis, and numerical models in R • The tool's feasibility and potential was verified through stakeholder engagement • The tool will allow gaining new knowledge, enhancing communication among stakeholders, and aiding the decision-making process [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study examines the relationships between perceived landscape aesthetic quality and landscape physical characteristics. • These were explored using a multiscale GWR to identify the spatial scales of these relationships. • The results show that some factors have a globally consistent relationship (Remoteness). • Others exhibited highly localised relationships (Absence of human artefacts, Naturalness, Ruggedness). • The study shows how spatially aware approaches such as MGWR better inform landscape decision making. This study explores how formal measures of landscape wildness (i.e. absence of human artefacts, perceived naturalness of land cover, remoteness from mechanised access, and ruggedness of the terrain) correlate with crowdsourced measures of landscape aesthetic quality as captured in Scenic-Or-Not data for Great Britain. It evaluates multiple linear regression (MLR) and two spatially varying coefficients models: geographically weighted regression (GWR) and multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR). The MLR provided a baseline model in an analysis of national data, exhibiting the presence of spatially autocorrelated residuals and suggesting that geographically weighted models may be appropriate. A standard GWR was found to exacerbate local collinearity between covariates, both overfitting and underfitting the model with highly varied and localised results. This was due to its single one-size-fits-all bandwidth and the assumption that all relationships between the target and predictor variables operate over the same spatial scale. MGWR relaxes this assumption by determining parameter-specific bandwidths, mitigating the local collinearity issues found in a standard GWR and resulting in more spatially stable and consistent coefficient estimates. The findings also indicated that the relationship between some covariates (such as remoteness) and perceived landscape quality varied little spatially, while clear gradients were found for other covariates. For example, naturalness was stronger in the north and west, ruggedness was stronger in the south and east, and the absence of human artefacts was weaker in Scotland and the north than in England and the south. Overall, the study showed that MGWR is more sensitive than GWR to the spatial heterogeneity in the statistical relationships between landscape factors and public perceptions. These findings provide nuanced understandings of how these relationships vary spatially, underscoring the value of such approaches in landscape scale analyses to support policy and planning. The discussion section of this paper considers the MGWR as the default geographically weighted model, assessing the potential for the use of crowdsourced data in landscape studies. In so doing, it illustrates how such approaches could be used to explore both subjective and objective landscape evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brexit, the UK's planned withdrawal from the EU, has significant implications for UK fisheries, potentially creating both opportunities and challenges regarding future governance of some of the most important fisheries in the EU. This paper presents findings of discussions with key industry representatives from two of Scotland's largest ports – Peterhead and Fraserburgh. The views of these stakeholders give a unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges provided by Brexit. Views are reported on the current management system, the importance of the EU as an export market and how industry stakeholders believe fisheries should be governed if the UK leaves the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Despite the view from stakeholders that the current distribution of fishing rights in UK waters is unbalanced, and the view that the CFP has moved from a positive to a negative for the industry, the implications of these results suggest that this part of the industry is not focussed solely on a quick removal from the CFP that returns 100% of fishing rights and control of UK waters, but instead seeks an improved management system that allows for the long term sustainability of the sector. • EU Common Fisheries Policy viewed as saving the Scottish fishing industry but now seen to constrain its growth. • Scottish fishers want to leave the Common Fisheries Policy but not block access to their fellow fishers from abroad. • Reduction of export trade from the UK to the EU has potential for significant negative impact on the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmon farming has developed significantly since its inception in Scotland. It is now an established part of the rural communities in which it operates, is a key contributor to the Scottish and UK economies and has an important role in meeting the growing global demand for food. However, the Scottish salmon industry is subject to a number of regulatory, environmental and social licence challenges, amongst others, that must be overcome if it is to continue to develop and expand to meet ambitious targets for increasing production. Beyond compliance is one way in which the industry can seek to overcome such challenges. Based on qualitative data gathered from analysis of industry reports, stakeholder interviews and questionnaires, this paper i) provides an overview of challenges currently facing Scottish salmon farming, ii) presents beyond compliance measures already taking place, iii) discusses industry opportunities and challenges in terms of beyond compliance, and iv) offers suggestions for the future of beyond compliance, including incentives and ways in which it could be effectively measured. • Beyond compliance is anything a company does additional to statutory regulatory requirements. • A multi-strategy study to explore beyond compliance for Scottish salmon aquaculture. • Beyond compliance at the farm level focuses on environmental quality standards. • Broader issues such as over-use of resources are also addressed but not currently regulated. • Lessons from other industries include ways to collaborate and measure beyond compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]