Latest News
Today
Record High Peatland Restoration
More than 10,000 hectares of damaged peatland has been restored in Scotland over the last year, reducing harmful emissions and accelerating progress to net zero. Ahead of World Peatlands Day on 2 June 2024, the average rate of peatland restoration has more than doubled in the last two years and, thanks to more than 100 projects across the country, 2023-24 saw 10,360 hectares restored - the highest amount achieved in a single year.
Today
Full Fact Check - Mel Stride's Claim About £900 ‘tax Cut' For Workers Doesn’t Account For Threshold Freezes
On BBC Breakfast [1:38:45] and the Today programme [2:13:16] this morning (28 May 2024), Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride repeated a claim that the government having reduced National Insurance contributions by one third "is worth a tax cut of £900 to an average earner". As we have explained before, the £900 figure refers to savings from reductions to employee National Insurance contributions (NICs).Yesterday
Scotland Comes Clean On DNACPR - Dr John Campbell
As an example, somebody got in touch with us later on in 2020 who was concerned about their grandfather who is a veteran. We understand from this exchange that paramedics arrived at his door one day and they handed him a bit of paper and said, "you need to keep this by your bed".
Yesterday
We Are Now Being Exploited - Richard Murphy
Once upon a time, financial capitalism exploited slaves. Then, it exploited the planet.
Yesterday
Worried you may have been impacted by the Ticketmaster hack? Here's what to do
First before you read the bad news about the Tickmaster hack think about change your credit card and bank pass words regularly to prevent them using old details stolen by the hackers to places you made purchases online. More than 500,000 Ticketmaster users woke to the news they may have had their personal information compromised.31/5/2024
Th UK Pound Is Still One Of The Strongest Currencies In The World
The UK pound is often talked about by people buying and selling or going on holiday abroad. Millions of British people go abroad each year for business and holidays so it a familiar topic to many.
31/5/2024
Scottish Government Offer On Public Sector Pay
A new multi-year, above inflation pay strategy for the Scottish public sector will provide certainty for the workforce while improving public services for the people of Scotland, Finance Secretary Shona Robison has said. The 2024-25 Public Sector Pay Policy sets out a framework for workers to receive an average 9.3% uplift over three years - providing above inflation protection from forecast inflation rates of 5.7%.31/5/2024
Parents And Carers As Partners In Their Children's Education
The Parental Engagement Strategy aims to build on good practice and create further opportunities for partnership working between schools and parents/carers; supporting parents and carers as partners in their children's education and welcoming their involvement in school life. Cllr John Finlayson, Education Chair said: "There are great benefits to parents/carers being involved in their children’s learning from helping them with homework and forming stronger connections with the school through events and volunteering opportunities.31/5/2024
UK Declares Freedom From Bird Flu
The UK has self-declared freedom from highly pathogenic avian influenza. The UK has self-declared freedom from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) for Great Britain with effect from 29 March 2024.31/5/2024
Upcoming Xl Bully Neutering Deadline
Owners of registered XL Bully dogs that were aged 12 months or older on 31 January 2024 must have their dogs neutered by 30 June 2024. XL Bully dog owners are today (30 May) being reminded to have their dog neutered as there is one month to go before the mandatory deadline for older dogs comes into force.31/5/2024
Are You Ready To Vote - Apply For A Postal Vote And Every Election To Come Is Easy
Elections come around regularly but one way to make it easier is to apply for a postal vote. Once you register for a postal vote it remains in place for all elections until you cancel it.
31/5/2024
Post Office Horizon Victims In Scotland To Be Exonerated
Legislation has been passed that will automatically exonerate sub-postmasters who were wrongly convicted as a result of the faulty Horizon IT system, the day after Royal Assent is granted. Those whose convictions are quashed under the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences (Scotland) Bill will be able to access the UK Government financial redress scheme.31/5/2024
UK Parliament Dissolved - State Opening Of Parliament To Take Place On 17 July 2024
Parliament has been dissolved. The new Parliament has been called to meet on Tuesday 9 July 2024.31/5/2024
Young Carers Statement - Help From Highland Council
A simple and digitally accessible plan is available to any child or young person in Highland who cares for another person. Cllr John Finlayson, Education Chair said: "Young Carers do an incredible job to help look after those closest to them, and it can be a challenge to find time or the words for conversations around their own wellbeing and future.30/5/2024
How Israel Uses Financial Control As A Tool Of Collective Punishment Against Palestine
Israel's finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, announced on May 22 that Israel will withhold Palestinian tax revenues from the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank "until further notice". The move came on the same day that Norway, Spain and Ireland announced that they will recognise a Palestinian state.
30/5/2024
Visitor Levy Bill Passed By Scottish Parliament And Highland Council Welcomes It
MSPs have backed legislation giving councils a new power to introduce a visitor levy that would raise funding for local visitor facilities and services. The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill will enable local authorities to apply a levy on overnight stays with all money raised to be reinvested in services and facilities largely used by tourists and business visitors.30/5/2024
Electric Cars - Swappable Batteries Could Be The Way To Revive Flagging Sales
The rate of adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in western countries continues to wane. In the UK, EVs' market share of all new cars for 2024 will barely hit 20%, somewhat below the government goal of 22%.
30/5/2024
Draft Community Wealth Building Strategy - Your Chance To Have Your Say
The Highland Council has today (Wednesday 29 May 2024) launched a survey to capture comments on its' draft strategy on Community Wealth Building. Community Wealth Building provides an alternative approach to economic development and a practical response that aims to keep wealth within a local area.
30/5/2024
The Bank Of England Is Using Quantitative Tightening To Push Up Interest Rates
The Bank of England's vast sale of government bonds is causing a shortage of cash in corners of the money markets and may need to end, investors have warned. Over the past two years, the BoE has shrunk its balance sheet from nearly £1tn to about £760bn largely by reducing its holdings of government debt it bought under numerous rounds of quantitative easing stimulus.30/5/2024
