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News Archive


1/11/2022
RMT Network Rail Strike - 5, 7, And 9 November
Network Rail members of the RMT trade union will take part in 24-hour strike action on Saturday, 5 November, Monday, 7 November, and Wednesday, 9 November.   This industrial action will take place across the Great Britain railway network, including ScotRail services.  
1/11/2022
Situation In Ukraine 31 October 2022: Foreign Secretary's StatementThumbnail for article : Situation In Ukraine 31 October 2022: Foreign Secretary's Statement
James Cleverly updated the House of Commons after Russia suspended participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative and Russian missiles again struck Ukrainian cities.   Mr Speaker, with permission I will update the House about the situation in Ukraine.  
1/11/2022
Investing In Long Term Support For Displaced People From Ukraine
Displaced people from Ukraine will be supported to make choices about their future while living in Scotland.  Following a review of the Scottish Government's Super Sponsor Scheme, which was paused in July, a paper has been published giving details of the work undertaken by the review.  
1/11/2022
NHS staff back strikes in Scotland's ambulance services and biggest health boards
GMB Scotland members across the Scottish Ambulance Service and in Greater Glasgow & Clyde Health Board have today (Tuesday 1 November) overwhelmingly supported and secured statutory mandates for strikes in their fight to secure an improved pay offer.   It follows a month-long ballot of the union's 8,000 members across NHS Scotland and associated services as the dispute between staff unions and the Scottish Government over the 2022/23 pay offer continues without resolution.  
1/11/2022
Targeted Support Worth £26 Billion To Support The Most Vulnerable
To protect the most vulnerable from the worst of cost-of-living pressures, the Chancellor announced a package of targeted support worth £26 billion, which includes continued support for rising energy bills.  More than eight million households on means-tested benefits will receive a cost-of-living payment of £900 in instalments, with £300 to pensioners and £150 for people on disability benefits.  
1/11/2022
Targeted Support Worth £26 Billion To Support The Most Vulnerable
To protect the most vulnerable from the worst of cost-of-living pressures, the Chancellor announced a package of targeted support worth £26 billion, which includes continued support for rising energy bills.  More than eight million households on means-tested benefits will receive a cost-of-living payment of £900 in instalments, with £300 to pensioners and £150 for people on disability benefits.  
31/10/2022
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sheep Sale Prices 27 October 2022
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd, (October 27 Oct 2022) sold 5,022 store sheep.   Lambs (3,364) averaged £58.43 and sold to £106 gross for Suffolk crosses from Old Mill Croft, Beauly.  
31/10/2022
Launch of Free Building Maintenance GuideThumbnail for article : Launch of Free Building Maintenance Guide
The Highland Council, working in partnership with Inverness City Heritage Trust, has created a free to download guide to help promote essential, regular inspection and maintenance of all traditional buildings.   Throughout the Highlands there are many examples of commercial, retail, business, public and privately owned properties built from high quality, natural materials, which need to be cared for in the right way.  
31/10/2022
Reviewed Capital Programme For Highland council to be brought back in December
Members have considered and discussed the latest impacts of the ongoing financial crisis on the Capital Programme at their Council meeting today, 27 October.   A range of factors, including the pandemic, Brexit, the war in Ukraine, and related impacts on cost and inflation continue to affect the Council and communities across Highland.  
31/10/2022
Council Agrees In-year Funding Support For A Range Of Partners
The Highland Council has been engaging with key public, private and third sector partners to understand the shared impact of the current financial crisis and the action that can be taken to maximise combined resources and minimise the impact of the financial challenges.   They agreed a range of supports in a detailed report brought to Council today, 27 October including the following: One-off support funding is to be provided for ELC Partners in the current financial year, based on the payment of an additional funding amount calculated as 32p per hour for 3-5 year old provision, and 53p per hour for 2 year old provision, which is to apply from August 2022.  
31/10/2022
Young People To Have Their Say At Cop27
Young people from some of the countries already facing the worst impacts of climate change are being given the opportunity to attend COP27 in Egypt as part of the Scottish Government's work to widen access to climate negotiations.   The Climate Youth Negotiator Programme will support 35 young people from countries including the Solomon Islands, Liberia and Bhutan to attend the UN climate negotiations, which take place from 6-18 November.  
31/10/2022
Scotland Leads On The Real Living Wage
A Fair Work approach to the cost of living crisis.   A record proportion of employees in Scotland are being paid the real Living Wage (rLW) or more, new figures reveal.  
31/10/2022
Bombshell New Figures Highlight Collapse Of Exports To The Eu Big Four - Plus The USA And China!
New Government figures show a massive post-Brexit slump in UK exports to Germany, France, Italy and Spain - and reveal the UK failed to transition to key export markets such as the USA and China.  The new International Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, faces an uphill battle, warns ParcelHero.  
31/10/2022
Protecting Scotland's Water - New Rules To Align With European Union Standards
Powers passed by MSPs to help deal with the impact of Brexit are being used for the first time to ensure Scotland's high quality drinking water aligns with standards set by the European Union.   The EU Continuity Act 2020 ensures that Scotland can maintain and advance the high standards shared between devolved Scots and EU law, irrespective of the consequences of the UK’s exit from the European Union.  
31/10/2022
A Transparent Approach To Benefit Take-up Progress
A new annual publication with estimated take-up rates of Scottish social security benefits has been published for the first time.   The report will help track progress against the Scottish Government's Benefit Take-up Strategy which is a requirement of the 2018 Social Security (Scotland) Act.  
31/10/2022
West Of Orkney Windfarm Successfully Completes Offshore And Nearshore Survey CampaignThumbnail for article : West Of Orkney Windfarm Successfully Completes Offshore And Nearshore Survey Campaign
The developer of the West of Orkney Windfarm has completed its 2022 offshore surveys for the project area, located around 25km north of the Sutherland coast.   The 2 GW project is a joint venture comprising Corio Generation, TotalEnergies and Renewable Infrastructure Development Group (RIDG) and is scheduled to be generating electricity by 2029.  
HIE Board Visits ShetlandThumbnail for article : HIE Board Visits Shetland
On Monday afternoon, the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) board members paid a visit to Lerwick Port Authority to hear about the plans to develop an ultra-deep-water quay at Dales Voe.  The project intends to further enhance port facilities and allow for a significant volume of future decommissioning work and offshore wind opportunities that will create many jobs.  
30/10/2022
Public Services In A Digital Future
This blog is part of a collaborative Joseph Rowntree Foundation project examining and exploring ideas we need to advance Social Justice in a Digital Age.   "Productivity isn't everything" wrote Paul Krugman, Nobel prize-winning economist in 1990.  
30/10/2022
Council Welfare Schemes Better In Scotland Than England But All Are Struggling
William Eichler writing in Localgov highlights a report by the Resolution Foundation.   Cuts to benefits have left local authority-administered discretionary welfare support funds ‘over-burdened', think tank warns.  
29/10/2022
UK Government Debt And Deficit June 2022Thumbnail for article : UK Government Debt And Deficit June 2022
UK general government gross debt was £2,436.7 billion at the end of Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2022, equivalent to 101.9% of gross domestic product (GDP).   UK general government deficit (or net borrowing) was £43.9 billion in Quarter 2 2022, equivalent to 7.2% of GDP.