Latest News
Today
Closure Of Visitscotland Icentres
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has called on VisitScotland to reconsider its decision to close their information centres throughout Scotland. The MSP has already contacted the Minister with responsibility for the issue, but she has now also contacted VisitScotland directly in light of information on visitor numbers using the Kirkwall centre being uncovered via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.Today
Are Your Drivers Up To Date With Their Driver CPC?
The deadline for many professional drivers to complete their Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training is 9 September 2024. To make sure your drivers can find training in time, we are asking operators to encourage drivers whose Driver CPC runs out this September to check that they have completed 35 hours well before the 9 September deadline.
Today
DWP Updates Fraud Plan
Department for Work and Pensions announces it has saved £1.3 billion from fraud and error. Comes as government updates plan to further crack down on benefit cheats, including creating new legal powers and hiring more staff.
Today
UK Fishing Industry To Benefit From Cutting-edge Technology To Help Manage Fish Stocks
Use of cameras, gear sensors and GPS units will help improve the sustainability of UK fish stocks. The sustainability of UK fish stocks will be better safeguarded through the use of technology to monitor and manage fishing activity in English waters, the government has announced on 13 May 2024.
Today
World-leading 3d Printer Used By British Army In The Field For First Time
A cutting-edge 3D printer is being used by the British Army for the first time in the field on the largest NATO deployment in Europe in a generation. 9 Theatre Support Battalion, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, are using the technology to make spare parts for vehicles as well as print vital modifications to battle-winning equipment on NATO exercise Steadfast Defender - the largest NATO deployment in Europe in a generation.
Today
£9 Million Funding For Satellite Instruments To Monitor Climate
The UK Space Agency has announced its largest investment into an early-stage technology programme to enhance the UK's Earth observation technologies, to improve how space is used to understand and protect the planet. Delivered by the Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation (CEOI), the £9 million will support 12 projects that will enhance the ability to monitor Earth's atmosphere and measure critical emissions such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen dioxide.
Today
UK Government Working Hand In Hand With Australia To Promote Trade In Legal And Tech Services
Legal and technology professionals on opposite sides of the world are set to benefit from bolstered connections between the UK and Australia through the UK Government's GREAT Legal Services campaign's latest programme of events. Minister Freer visits Australia as part of GREAT Legal Services campaign to promote the UK legal and tech sectors.
Today
Lucy Beattie Is The SNP Candidate For The Westminster Election
Lucy Beattie is the SNP candidate for the Westminster election whenever the date is set. The candidates are already sending out leaflets and post cards and no doubt many of you will have had one from Lucy.
Today
PM Sets Out Blueprint To Boost British Fruit And Vegetable Sector
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sets out his blueprint to boost British fruit and vegetable sector as the first UK Food Security Index is published. The Prime Minister will tell the second Farm to Fork Summit at Downing Street tomorrow that the UK needs to reduce its reliance on overseas fruit and vegetables and back British producers.Today
Conservatives Select Ruraidh Stewart For Westminster Election
Highland Conservative Association members have chosen Ruraidh Stewart as their candidate for the new Westminster seat of Inverness, Skye and West Ross-Shire. A councillor for Skye & Raasay and leader of the Conservative group in Highland Council, Ruraidh also works for a Highlands & Islands MSP.
Today
Green Party Candidate For Westminster Is Anne Thomas
Anne Thomas is the Green Party Candidate fo Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross a the coming Westminster election. Anne Thomas has the External Communications role, co-ordinating media coverage across the Branch.
Today
Earnings And Employment From Pay As You Earn Real Time Information, Uk - May 2024
Early estimates for April 2024 indicate that the number of payrolled employees rose by 0.4% compared with April 2023, a rise of 129,000 employees. This annual increase was largest in the health and social work sector, with a rise of 170,000 employees.Yesterday
Eva Kestner The New Labour Candidate For Caithness, Sutherland And Easter Ross
I am deeply honoured to step forward as a candidate for the Scottish Labour Party in Caithness, Sutherland, and Easter Ross. My political journey traces its roots back to the heart of this region, where I began my career as a parliamentary researcher working alongside Highland and island MSPs.
Yesterday
Scottish Investment Bank And UK Investment Bank Join Up To Attract Private Capital
he Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB) and the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that cements their close working relationship and shared ambition to attract additional private investment into Scotland. Both banks are government owned yet operate independently to invest public capital on a commercial basis to deliver wider social, environmental, and economic impacts.
Yesterday
Affordable Homes-for-rent Strategy Supported With £20 Million To Thriving Investments
The Scottish National Investment Bank (the "Bank") has committed a further £20 million to the Mid-Market Rent ("MMR") strategy ("New Avenue Living" or the “Fund”) managed by Thriving Investments, the social value and ESG-focused real estate fund manager. The Bank's follow-on investment will support the development of up to 100 new homes and takes its total investment in the Fund to £60 million.
Yesterday
Limited Liability Companies Cause Moral Hazard - Richard Murphy
The UK's system of creating limited companies very cheaply and almost wholly unaccountably creates risks for us all from fraudsters, cheats and crooks, all of whom can use these companies to prejudice our well-being. So why do we let it happen? ABOUT RICHARD MURPHY Richard Murphy is Professor of Accounting Practice at Sheffield University Management School.
Yesterday
Haventus Secures £100 Million Credit Facility From Scottish National Investment Bank And Uk Infrastructure Bank
Construction work underway to develop Ardersier Port energy transition facility, boosting offshore wind capability. Haventus, the energy transition facilities provider, and owner of Ardersier Port, east of Inverness, has secured a £100 million joint credit facility from the Scottish National Investment Bank (the Bank) and UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) with £50 million investment from each.
Yesterday
Orbex Secures £16.7m Investment For Rocket ‘ramp Up' Period
The UK spaceflight company Orbex has received £16.7m from six backers in an update to its Series C funding round. With pre-launch testing underway, the funding will help Orbex ramp up the development of Prime, its 19-metre long, two-stage rocket designed to transport small satellites into Low Earth Orbit.
Yesterday
UK Joins European Super-computing Scheme As World-class British Researchers Now Able To Bid For Funding
British researchers, businesses and academics will have enhanced access to future supercomputer research funding from today (Monday 13 May) 2024 as the UK joins the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC). The UK joins a world-class European supercomputing eco-system and unlocks an enhanced share of the Horizon funded portion, worth £770 million from 2021-2027.
Yesterday
