A place for important questions
Ask better
questions.
Demand better answers.
Independent Scottish research and commentary examining how public money is raised, distributed and experienced by the communities it is meant to serve.
The first paper
Waste
of Time.
The real odds of the Lotto. The good-causes question. And the case for knowing where your donation goes.
at current odds
From the research desk
One paper.
A bigger conversation.
Each paper starts with a specific question, examines primary sources and makes clear what remains unproven.
Waste of Time: what does £4 a week really buy?
From the shrinking value of a four-number Lotto win to the unresolved question of whether Scotland’s poorest neighbourhoods get a fair return on the money they may contribute.
The freedom.scot method
Questions first. Conclusions second.
We separate evidence from interpretation, publish source links and flag gaps in public data instead of filling them with assumptions.
The first paper in numbers
Behind every headline is a question worth checking.
23p is an expected average across all games, not an audited allocation of a particular Lotto ticket. Sources and limitations are in the paper.
How the site works
Strong views deserve strong evidence.
Public debate can overlook the communities most affected by the decisions being discussed. This site starts with specific questions and looks for public data that can answer them.
Read the methodology- Identify the question
Make the issue specific enough to test and explain why it matters.
- Find primary sources
Use official statistics, original documents and published research wherever possible.
- Separate fact from opinion
Present contrary evidence and disclose missing information.
- Publish the paper
Offer a readable article and a downloadable document with source links.