News Archive
3/8/2022
Ground-breaking Fishing Research Projects Given Funding Boost
17 projects awarded funds from major £100m investment to research sustainable fisheries practices as UK Seafood Fund is extended until 2025. Projects to help minimise the impact of lost fishing nets on the environment and innovative research into new trawl designs to reduce the number of other species accidentally caught by fishermen (bycatch) are among those to receive funding from the £100 million UK Seafood Fund, the UK Government announced today (Wednesday 3 August 2022).
3/8/2022
Detecting Tachograph Violations Is Getting Easier
From the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency. We are trialling remote tachograph sensing equipment in Britain, to make it easier to detect drivers and operators who are breaking drivers' hours rules.3/8/2022
New Funding To Boost UK Business Exports Abroad Through The Recognition Of Professional Qualifications
Government announces launch of Recognition Arrangements Grants Programme, providing grants of up to £75,000 to help regulators seek mutual recognition of professional qualifications. Government to fund professional bodies and regulators to agree deals to support the recognition of professional qualifications with overseas counterparts.
3/8/2022
Education Maintenance Allowances 2020-21 In Scotland
The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) provides financial support for young people aged 16 to 19 years from low-income households to overcome financial barriers to participate in school or college courses, or in an Activity Agreement. It is also available to those who are home-educated.3/8/2022
Agri Sector Leads The Way In Sustainability With Audit Demand
Demand for Carbon Audits by farmers and crofters in the first six months of the year has exceeded the number of completed audits undertaken over the whole of last year. Carbon Audits will be now be provided through the National Test Programme.3/8/2022
Scotland At Hannover Messe Expo
Scotland's renewable energy and hydrogen sectors are to be showcased at a major international trade fair. Scottish Development International has confirmed it will lead Scotland’s presence at the five-day Hannover Messe Integrated Energy Expo in April 2023 following the UK Government’s decision not to participate.3/8/2022
Police Officer Quarterly Strength Statistics Scotland - 2 August 2022
Scotland's Chief Statistician has published statistics on Police Officer Quarterly Strength, which gives the number of full-time equivalent police officers employed by Police Scotland. The key findings of the statistics are: there were 16,610 full-time equivalent (FTE) police officers in Scotland on 30 June 2022.
3/8/2022
£12million funding boost for cutting-edge government projects
16 government projects have been awarded funding to help test and evaluate new approaches. Projects being funded include new approaches to tackling drug misuse in prisons and preventing violence against women and girls.3/8/2022
Government Launches Fraud Squad
The Public Sector Fraud Authority has been launched by the government. A new team at the heart of government has been told to hunt down fraud committed against the public purse, with a £180 million target set for the first 12 months.
2/8/2022
Brand New Pension Scheme Launches In Great Britain
The pensions sector has received an injection of innovation today as a brand new type of pension scheme officially opened for applications in Great Britain. Collective Defined Contribution pension schemes, or CDCs for short, will offer an alternative to the UK's two primary pension scheme models, Defined Contribution (DC) and Defined Benefit (DB).2/8/2022
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 2 August 2022
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (August 2nd) sold 17 Prime Cattle. Prime Bullocks (1) averaged 257.0p per kg (+0.2p) and sold to 257.0p per kg and £1,464.90 gross.2/8/2022
HMRC - Couples Urged To "Say Yes" To Marriage Allowance Proposal
At the height of the wedding season, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding married couples and people in civil partnerships to put extra cash at the top of their gift list and sign up for Marriage Allowance. Marriage Allowance allows married couples or people in civil partnerships, including those who have been together for many years, to share their personal tax allowances if one partner earns below the Personal Allowance threshold of £12,570, and the other is a basic rate taxpayer.2/8/2022
Over 100 new and revamped parks to level up towns and cities across the UK
The Levelling Up Parks Fund will create new and improved parks in urban areas, helping communities to come together and enjoy the outdoors. People in urban areas set to benefit from initiative backed by £9 million of government funding.2/8/2022
Energy Price Prediction Worsens - Warning Winter Energy Bills To Rise By More Than Expected
Latest prediction on energy prices from October have got worse according to the latest BBC report. Typical domestic energy bills could hit more than £3,600 a year this winter, according to a new forecast.2/8/2022
Still No Respite For Home Heating Oil Users
While there has been a cap on Gas and Electricity prices no such cap exists for rural area where many use heating oil for warming the house and for hot water. Whilst the price of heating oil has always fluctuated dependent on world oil prices the Ukraine war sent the prices very high.
2/8/2022
Dr John Campbell - £70 million in fines for pharma firms
£70 million in fines for pharma firms that overcharged NHS After reassessing part of the case, the CMA has found that Pfizer and Flynn abused their dominant positions to overcharge the NHS for a life-saving epilepsy drug. Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Flynn fined £63 million and £6.7 million respectively NHS costs for the drug rose from £2 million to £50 million in a single year CMA CEO: "These firms illegally exploited their dominant positions to charge the NHS excessive prices and make more money for themselves - meaning patients and taxpayers lost out" The fines are the result of an in-depth investigation carried out by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which found that Pfizer and Flynn charged unfairly high prices for phenytoin sodium capsules for over 4 years, ultimately paid for by the NHS.
2/8/2022
Sentiment Of Businesses And Consumers Looks Shaky
From the Fraser of Allender's Weekly update. In this week's update, we do a round up of the main releases we've been analysing during the week.2/8/2022
The UK areas most dominated by one industry
40% of all businesses in Fermanagh and Omagh are in agriculture. Seven out of the ten areas on the list are dominated by agriculture.2/8/2022
3,500 Businesses Risk Losing Ability To Import Goods
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding businesses that they must use the Customs Declaration Service for import declarations from 1 October 2022. More than 3,500 businesses risk significant delays to importing goods if they don't move to the UK's new streamlined customs system now.2/8/2022
