Scotland: Portal

Welcome to the Scotland Portal
Welcome to Scotland Portal on Powerbase - your guide to networks of power, lobbying and deceptive PR. 
Since devolution, corporations and business groups have been very active in Scottish politics. This helps explain the emergence of numerous pro-corporate think tanks, lobbyists and corporate/state partnerships across Scottish public life. The problem with a small country such as Scotland is that big companies can exert a disproportionate influence on the political system. They have colossal lobbying influence and produce information and advice that is used by the administration to frame and formulate its policies. However this is not impartial advice from disinterested observers of the political - economic scene. This is special pleading from very interested participants who have much to gain. 
Powerbase has a policy of strict referencing, and is overseen by an editor and several Associate Portal editors. 
===Scotland’s top 20 Super-rich, 2006===
:#	Sir Tom Hunter	Property and sports goods
:#	Lord Laidlaw	Conferences and media
:#	The Grant and Gordon family	Whisky
:#	Keith Miller	Construction
:#	David Murray	Property and football
:#	Sir Ian Wood	Oil services and fishing
:#	Harry Dobson	Mining and football
:#	Joanne Rowling	Novels and films
:#	Brian Souter and Ann Gloag	Transport
:#	Sir Arnold Clark	Car sales
:#	Jim McColl	Engineering
:#	The Thomson family	Media
:#	Jim Morrison	Mobile phones
:#	Freddie Johnston	Newspapers
:#	Brian Kennedy	Double glazing and property
:#	Stewart Milne	Construction
:#	Robert Adair	Property and oil
:#	The Duke of Sutherland	Land and art
:#	Richard Emanuel	Mobile phones and property
:#	Graham Wylie	Software and racehorses Source: Sunday Times Rich List, 2006, ‘Scotland’s Richest’ http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/pdfs/strlscotland.pdf
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Elite Networks and Corporate Power
==Lobbying and PR Industry bodies==
*Association of Scottish Public Affairs - ASPA
*Institute of Public Relations Scotland
==Professional and Scientific bodies==
*Association for Science Education in Scotland .
*Institute of Physics
*Royal Pharmaceutical Society (Scottish branch) . 
*Royal Society of Chemistry .
*Royal Society of Edinburgh
*Scottish Science Advisory Committee
*Chief Scientific Advisor to the Scottish Executive
==Elite Social and networking clubs==
*Entrepreneurial Exchange
*New Club
*Insider Elite Awards 2008
==Corporate Social Responsibility==
*Agenda
*Scottish Business in the Community
*Enviros
==Corporations==
*Halifax Bank of Scotland
*Royal Bank of Scotland
*Scottish American Investment Company
==Economic Consultants==
*Frontier Economics
Governing Scotland
==Corporate/Government partnerships==
* Centre for Confidence and Well Being
* Financial Services Strategy Group
* Financial Services Advisory Board
* Futures Forum
* Forward Scotland
* Laidlaw Youth Project
* Scottish Leadership Foundation
* Scottish Parliament Business Exchange
==Governmental bodies==
*Communities Scotland
*Scottish Development International
*Scottish Enterprise
*Scottish Executive
*Scottish Parliament
*Scottish Water
=== Regulatory Bodies ===
*Water Industry Commission (WIC)
*Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA)
*Waterwatch
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Category:Scotland
==Notes==
Category:Scottish Elite Networking Groups