News Archive
16/7/2024
The New Labour Government Plans To Build 1.5 Million Homes - Here's What's Needed To Make It Happen
The UK's new Labour government has set itself the bold target of building 1.5 million homes in five years to deal with the critical shortage of housing. To achieve this, it will have to deliver 50% more than the previous government managed over the same period.
16/7/2024
How Israel Has Brought The Palestinian Authority To The Brink Of Financial Collapse
Israel's ultranationalist finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, announced in May that he would be witholding tax revenues earmarked for Palestine. The decision was made in response to Spain, Ireland and Norway's recognition of a Palestinian state.
16/7/2024
Labour Could Take Action Against Tax Havens - Richard Murphy
Labour could end the curse that the UK's tax havens represent to this country's tax revenues - and to those of other countries. It demanded action on tax havens when in opposition.
16/7/2024
Travel Agency Shut Down With Holidaymakers Owed Almost £600,000 In Refunds
Customers were left out of pocket, without a holiday and with no refunds provided. Travel agents Felix Travels and Tours Limited has been wound-up at the High Court after customers complained they had not received the holiday they paid for.16/7/2024
New Law Ensures That Children And Young People Will Be Consulted On Highland Policy Making
The Highland Council welcomes the introduction of new legislation announced today (16 July 2024) by the Scottish Government that incorporates the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Convener of the Council, Cllr Bill Lobban said: "The changes introduced will ensure that Highland's children and young people will be included in, and consulted with, on changes to existing policies and on the introduction of new policies being considered by The Highland Council.15/7/2024
Savers short-changed on closed easy access accounts
The average closed easy access account rate has been lower than the live equivalent over the past two years. Moneyfactscompare.co.uk analysis reveals how savers are being short-changed as Consumer Duty rules on closed products and services come into play this month.15/7/2024
Work Of Council's Storm Response Team Recognised
The action taken by the Council's roads teams across the Highlands in response to the impact of storms has been recognised. The team were delighted to win the Team of the Year at the recent Highland Council Staff Recognition Awards.
15/7/2024
Early Learning And Childcare North Consultation Survey Launch
The Highland Council's Early Learning & Childcare (North) Consultation is now live, and we want to hear from those living in the Lairg, Dornoch, Golspie, Farr, Scourie, Durness, Kinlochbervie, Tongue, Wick and Thurso area. The survey is open until Wednesday 31 July 2024.
15/7/2024
King's Speech Puts Growth At The Heart Of Legislative Agenda
The Government will use its mandate for change to put economic growth at the heart of its legislative agenda as it prepares for The King's Speech at the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday 17 July. New laws will prioritise growth, the Government's overarching mission for the year ahead.
15/7/2024
British Embassy Celebrates Record UK-Lebanon Trade Figures - £1.1 billion
British Ambassador Hamish Cowell hosted a Business and Trade reception to celebrate record-breaking bilateral trade figures between the UK and Lebanon. In 2023, bilateral trade figures between the UK and Lebanon passed the £1bn mark for the first time ever, reaching a record high of £1.1 billion, an increase on over 45% on 2022.
14/7/2024
Lord Chancellor Sets Out Immediate Action To Defuse Ticking Prison ‘time-bomb'
Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood has set out how the government will stop the impending collapse of the criminal justice system. Plan to tackle the prison capacity crisis announced at a speech in HMP Five Wells Immediate action necessary to prevent paralysis in the criminal justice system More probation officers and ten-year capacity strategy to better protect public "Our prisons are on the point of collapse", new Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood said today (Friday 12 July) as she set out how the government will stop the impending collapse of the criminal justice system.
14/7/2024
Universal Credit - Incomes, Incentives And The Remaining Roll-out
What has been the impact of universal credit on incomes and work incentives?. The introduction of universal credit (UC) has been the most significant reform to the working-age benefits system since the reforms following the post-war Beveridge Report.
13/7/2024
Over 1,200 Jobs Supported By HIE In 2023/24
Figures compiled by HIE show that businesses and communities supported by the agency in 2023/24 are set to create or retain more than 1,200 jobs across the region. The outturns for 2023/24 were achieved through a combination of financial and non-financial interventions by HIE.
13/7/2024
Time To Hit The Ground Running
Mike Brewer at the Resolution Foundation looks at the challenges facing the new Labour government. We're now a week into a seismic political shift in UK politics, with Labour returning to office for the first time in 14 years.13/7/2024
How We Protected The UK And Space In June 2024
The National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) protects UK interests in space and on Earth and works with international partners to ensure space remains safe, sustainable and accessible to all. Summary Overall risks to UK interests in space and on Earth from space-related threats, risks, and hazards were lower in June than in May.
13/7/2024
Actuarial Valuations, Pensions And Data Insights
Actuarial valuations are one type of support we offer to pension schemes clients. Pensions sector experts learned about Government Actuary's Department (GAD's) key skills at a recent event.
13/7/2024
Water or AI? Is that the choice we face? And We Thought It Was Just Big Amounts of Electricity
Water and AI are two things that are rarely discussed together, but they should be, because in our future, our ability to use AI or artificial intelligence, is going to be severely restricted by the availability of water in the world. And what we already know is that the availability of water in this world is decidedly restricted.
13/7/2024
Economic Impact Of Forestry - Sector Brings £1.1 Billion Annually
Scotland's forestry contributes £1.1 billion to the economy each year and supports more than 34,000 jobs, a new report has found. The independent study, commissioned by Scottish Forestry, notes that the industry directly employs 10,380 people, with a further 5,630 working across wood processing and forest activities, and 18,130 in forestry-related tourism.
12/7/2024
Almost Two-in-five Large Families Are Now Affected By The Two-child Limit - And The Majority Are Set To Fall Into Poverty When The Policy Is Fully Rolled Out
Around 38 per cent of all large families (with at least three children) were affected by the two-child limit on benefit support in April 2024, and the policy is set to push the majority of large families below the poverty line by the end of the parliament, the Resolution Foundation said on Thursday 11 July 2024 in response to new DWP data. 450,000 families were affected by the two-child limit in April 2024, up from just 70,000 in 2018.12/7/2024
