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The recent Glasmullin dispute has raised questions about Northern Ireland’s planning laws, Scope dissects the issues. 

The first gay couple to celebrate a civil partnership in Northern Ireland are seeking a judicial review challenging the ban on gay couples getting married here. 

When flag protests were at their height, many observers both here and across the globe, shook their heads and despaired of Northern Ireland. 

The recent HRC inquiry into Emergency Health Care has reinforced that Transforming Your Care has stalled. Scope looks at some of the reasons why.

The decision by Belfast City Council to grant planning permission for a sports ground on open land in West Belfast creates an uneasy precedent and is out of step with planning policy elsewhere, Scope reports. 

Scope examines further evidence that the government's flagship Transforming Your Care programme is not just stalled but going backwards. 

There won’t be huge political fanfare, but a recent DHSSPS decision to increase access to free healthcare amongst vulnerable groups will save money and improve everyone’s health. Scope looks at why.

Scope provides an update on the recent series of articles on abortion in Northern Ireland, an area of policy that is under extreme scrutiny currently, with developments coming at pace.

Scope examines a ground-breaking research project which aims to address the negative stereo-typing of young people by the media. 

Upper Bann is just getting back to normal again after an election campaign that ended in acrimony with allegations of racist abuse.

There is a difference between theory and practice - despite some problems, Welfare Reform is a social good. Ian James Parsley writes exclusively for Scope.

South Antrim - the Jewel of the Six Mile – joins Scope’s list of constituencies to receive a sober and sombre social media probe.

New Health Minister Simon Hamilton is making some good noises about reform – but changes need to be rapid and neither the financial capability or political will are guaranteed.

Scope analyses the controversy surrounding the Stroke Association’s shocking claims about stroke rates amongst people of working age and asks if great advocacy can become bad science. 

Earlier this month the Office of First Minister deputy First Minister released information that it was ordered to by the  Information Commissioner revealing the salaries paid to the special advisors working for the First Minister.

Now that the dust has settled on the General Election and the victory champagne has gone flat, Scope looks at the section of the electorate nobody is talking about: the people who did not vote. 

Dealing with the past is difficult – especially when its two common ideals work against each other. Scope looks at whether the Stormont House Agreement can untangle truth and justice and allow progress to run rather than shuffle.

DWP says sanctions are a "last resort" and encouragement to work - but some reported examples make that description look laughable, and could make them the biggest danger to Welfare Reform. Scope takes a look.

The general election result means Welfare Reform will come to Northern Ireland, one way or another. Scope looks at two reports examining its impact in Scotland - both on the public and the third sector.

As cuts deepen should the sector lie down and take it, disappear into silos, with everyone fighting everyone else for scraps, or is there a better way?