News Archive
6/12/2020
Jets Fuels Support For More Than 40,000 Jobseekers
More than 800 jobseekers per day have been referred to the government's new £238 million JETS - Job Entry Targeted Support - programme since it launched at the start of October 2020. In its first fifty days, Work Coaches across the country have acted quickly to deliver the additional support, signposting tens of thousands of Universal Credit and New Style Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA) claimants to the programme - providing job hunters with the boost they need to return to employment.5/12/2020
Help For Food And Drink Wholesalers
Wholesale food and drink businesses affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are to be supported through a new £5 million fund. The fund will be targeted at food and drink wholesalers who sell to hospitality, on-trade or public sector clients who have seen sales fall by 20% or more since March.5/12/2020
Nursery Rate Relief Extended Until 2023
Qualifying day nurseries will continue to benefit from 100% relief on non-domestic rates until at least June 2023. Extending the scheme, initially due to end on 31 March 2021, will allow for a full evaluation of the impact of the day nursery relief on providers, parents and carers - which is a recommendation of the Barclay Review of non-domestic rates.4/12/2020
Council's role in realising green hydrogen potential in Highland
Discussions have taken place this week on what the Council's role in respect of the emerging hydrogen economy should be and how best to advance hydrogen opportunities across the Highlands. The Leader of The Highland Council met with representatives from Scottish Power to focus on hydrogen generation and this was followed by a meeting, arranged with officers from across Council services, that included a presentation by Fiona Landy from the Hydrogen Accelerator.4/12/2020
Highland Council Rent Consultation for 2021/2022
The Highland Council has started to consult with their tenants about proposals for a rent increase in council owned homes for 2021 - 2022. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the traditional forms of consultation cannot safely take place.4/12/2020
Scotgrad Graduate Placement welcomed to the Spirit of the Highlands project
The Leader of the Council and Provost of Inverness today welcomed recent history graduate Sophie Gartshore to her role of Data Curation Graduate Placement in the Spirit of the Highlands project team. Sophie was attending her first virtual meeting of the Spirit of the Highlands Delivery Group, a group co-chaired by Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism Fergus Ewing and Cllr Helen Carmichael, Provost of Inverness and Area.
4/12/2020
Digital Directory Serves Up Innovative Traveltech Solutions To Scotland's Tourism SMEs
A new digital directory of more than 100 traveltech businesses and 30 industry case studies goes live today (Friday 4 December 2020). Developed by the Traveltech for Scotland cluster, it showcases how various technologies such as online ticketing, smartphone apps and social distancing solutions can help tourism businesses in Scotland adapt and diversify in a post-COVID-19 world.
4/12/2020
Jobs Boost As Scottish Enterprise Unlocks £0.5 Billion Of Economic Investment
Scottish Enterprise (SE) today announced plans to approve large grant funding for up to 160 new company projects before the end of the financial year. Together, these projects have the potential to unlock up to £0.5 billion of investment by businesses into Scotland's economy, creating or safeguarding more than 9,000 jobs.
4/12/2020
Basque Country And Scotland Team Up To Boost Wave Energy Concepts
A new programme that will channel €20m to the most promising wave energy concepts across Europe was launched today (4 Dec) at the virtual Ocean Energy Europe Conference & Exhibition 2020 . Wave Energy Scotland (WES) is a lead partner in EuropeWave - a new five-year collaboration programme.4/12/2020
From 10.00am Today Wester Bridge, Sinclairs Bay Caithness - Delays and Diversions
Please be advised that Subsea 7 are about to commence the launch of a pipeline bundle into Sinclair's Bay. This operation will take between 24 - 36 hours and we require to open the Wester Bridge on the A99 to allow towheads to pass under and out to sea.4/12/2020
Sixth Richard Goode Lecture: Remaking The Post-covid World
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will hold its sixth annual Richard Goode Lecture on December 4, 2020. The Richard Goode Lecture is an annual event to anticipate and discuss policy issues and debates.
4/12/2020
Making Scotland's Future - Recovery Plan For Manufacturing Sector
Views are being sought on proposals to secure a strong, sustainable future for the manufacturing sector. The manufacturing recovery plan has been developed by the Scottish Government, its enterprise and skills agencies, industry partners, trades unions and academics to support the sector over the next 12 months.
3/12/2020
New Housing Measures To Protect Poultry And Captive Birds Against Avian Flu
Bird keepers should review biosecurity and house birds. The Chief Veterinary Officers for Scotland, England, and Wales have agreed to bring in new measures to help protect poultry and captive birds, following a number of cases of avian influenza in both wild and captive birds in the UK.
3/12/2020
Government Consults On Ending Live Animal Exports For Slaughter
Environment Secretary unveils plans to end excessively long journeys for animals exported for slaughter and fattening. Plans to ban the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening have been unveiled by the Environment Secretary today (3 December), in the start of a renewed push by government to strengthen the UK's position as a world leader on animal welfare.3/12/2020
Safeguarding Scotland's Marine Environment
New sites to offer protection for iconic species. Minke whale, basking sharks and Risso's dolphins will be among a wide range of biodiversity and geological features to be safeguarded following the designation of four new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
3/12/2020
No change to school holiday dates
Christmas and New Year school holiday dates will remain as planned. The timing of school holidays, which vary around Scotland, was raised with Ministers in the Education Recovery Group, given many schools break up very close to Christmas and the potential for increased social interaction in households following the limited relaxation of rules between 23-27 December.3/12/2020
Getting The Right Care In The Right Place
The way people access A&E services is changing to keep patients and NHS Scotland safe this winter - making sure everyone gets the right care in the right place. Local A&E departments remain open for those who have a life-threatening emergency.3/12/2020
Christmas Eviction Ban Introduced
Six week temporary halt to protect tenants Enforcement of evictions from rented properties will be halted in Scotland for a six week period until mid-January. The move will give extra protection to tenants during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.2/12/2020
COVID-19 vaccination programme to start next week
Regulators have authorised the first vaccine for use in the UK. Deliveries of the first coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine to Scotland are expected to be made early next week with injections being given from Tuesday 8 December.2/12/2020
