News Archive
27/11/2020
Werritty Report Response - Additional Measures Including Licensing To Protect Birds Of Prey
Grouse shooting businesses in Scotland will need to be licensed to operate under new proposals to tackle raptor persecution. Muirburn will also only be permitted under licence, in order to protect wildlife and habitats, regardless of the time of year it is undertaken and whether or not it is for grouse moor management or improving grazing.27/11/2020
Glasgow AI Experts Receive UK Government Funding
Two of Glasgow's leading scientists will develop cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology thanks to a £20 million UK Government cash boost. The Scottish projects, at the University of Glasgow and University of Strathclyde, are among fifteen innovative projects receiving the new Turing AI fellowships as part of the UK government's ambition to establish the UK as a world leader in AI and support researchers to scale up their innovations.
27/11/2020
Transforming Scotland's Convenience Store Sector
Scottish consumers are being encouraged to ‘Go Local' as part of a new initiative that will transform local convenience stores into marketplaces selling more local produce. The initial phase of this initiative will see £100,000 invested in ten local shops to increase the space given to Scottish products, broaden the range of Scottish products offered and enhance consumer engagement with Scottish products.27/11/2020
Quarantine Rules Reinstated For Two Countries
Travellers arriving in Scotland from Estonia and Latvia must quarantine for 14 days at home or another address, from 4am on Saturday (28 November). A significant increase in cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in those countries as well as a rise in the numbers of cases testing positive, and the associated risk of importation into Scotland has led to the decisions to remove exemption status.27/11/2020
Supporting Health And Social Care Staff
More than 53,000 health and social care staff have received psychological support from the National Wellbeing Hub since it was launched in May. Established during the first phase of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the hub supports all health and social care workers, including unpaid carers, who need help due to COVID-19, alongside a new 24/7 National Wellbeing helpline.27/11/2020
How to avoid fake Black Friday deals - A Which Report
Don't get duped by dodgy deals this Black Friday. Follow these tips to find out whether the ‘special offer' you've got your eye on is real.27/11/2020
The Spending Review - Analysis From The Institue For Fiscal Studies
This year's Spending Review will not be the comprehensive, multi-year review we were originally promised, but will still contain a raft of important announcements. The Chancellor has big decisions to make - on funding for public services, the role of government investment in the economic recovery, the future of targets on defence and aid spending, and much else besides.
27/11/2020
Futureproofing Careers
Key sectors where employment has been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will receive support through the £25 million National Transition Training Fund. The fund will support retraining projects for careers in areas particularly hit, including aviation, construction and tourism.26/11/2020
Energy Developments Continue at Gills Harbour and the Pentland Firth
The company behind the world-leading tidal-stream prototype power plant in the Pentland Firth's Inner Sound is set to start manufacturing a new-style turbine that is hopes will reduce the project's generating costs. Simec Atlantis Energy (SAE) and a privately-owned specialist engineering firm from Spain's Bay of Biscay coastline have jointly been conducting 'research and development' (R& D) on the project for almost a year and are now ready to give it the go-ahead.
26/11/2020
National Living Wage increase to protect workers' living standards
Announcement of the 2021 National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates. The Government has today announced the National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates which will come into force from April 2021.
26/11/2020
Spending Review to fight virus, deliver promises and invest in UK's recovery
The UK Government will provide billions of pounds in the fight against coronavirus, deliver on the promises it has made to the British people and invest in the UK's recovery, the Chancellor announced today. billions of pounds to help tackle Covid-19 next year increased funding to deliver stronger public services £100 billion capital spending including infrastructure to drive UK's recovery and support jobs Delivering the Spending Review, Rishi Sunak said his immediate priority was to protect people’s lives and livelihoods as the country continues to battle the outbreak - allocating £55 billion to tackle the virus next year.
26/11/2020
Guidance For Students Returning Home
Plans for mass testing of asymptomatic students. Students travelling home at the end of term will be able to take voluntary coronavirus (COVID-19) tests through their college or university from next Monday.26/11/2020
The Spending Review 2020 speech as delivered by Chancellor Rishi Sunak
On Monday, the Prime Minister set out the action we need to take between now and the start of December to control the spread of coronavirus. Mr Speaker, Today's Spending Review delivers on the priorities of the British people.
26/11/2020
Supporting exporting businesses for EU exit
A pricing regime has been agreed in Highland for the provision of Export Health Certificates which will be required by UK businesses from 1 January 2021 to export products of animal origin to the EU. Chair of The Highland Council's Communities and Place Committee Cllr Allan Henderson welcomed the work carried out to date by Council officers in supporting exporting businesses to the EU, he said: "The Environmental Health Team has a very important role in providing certification for Highland businesses exporting animal products to the EU.26/11/2020
Coronavirus pushes the budget deficit to almost £400 billion
From the Office for Budget Responsibility. Coronavirus has caused our economy to shrink 11 per cent this year - the largest drop in over 300 years.
26/11/2020
National Infrastructure Strategy
The National Infrastructure Strategy sets out plans to transform UK infrastructure in order to level up the country, strengthen the Union and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Read the papers HERE.26/11/2020
Carers Urged To Seek Support
Still Game star highlights valued work of the country's carers in new campaign. Carers are being urged to seek emotional and practical support through a new national campaign, delivered in partnership with Still Game’s Jane McCarry.26/11/2020
Overview Of The November 2020 Economic And Fiscal Outlook
From the Office of Budget Responsibility. 1.1 The coronavirus pandemic has delivered the largest peacetime shock to the global economy on record.
26/11/2020
Driving forward ‘greening' of compliant Council fleet
Highland Councillors have noted the scale of achievement by Council staff in meeting the Traffic Commissioner's compliance requirements for the local authority's fleet and welcomed a phased approach to the ‘greening’ of its vehicles. Cllr Allan Henderson, Chair of the Council’s Communities and Place Committee said: "Maintaining a legally safe and compliant fleet of vehicles is essential and is no mean feat for an organisation the size of Highland Council.26/11/2020
