News Archive
28/4/2020
Benchmarking farm performance
New benchmarking tools have been created to help farmers improve their profitability by comparing their performance against other businesses in the sector. The tools use information collected by the annual Scottish Farm Business Survey, which measures the performance of the main farm types found in Scotland.28/4/2020
Primary Care Opening Hours - Services to continue over May public holidays
Primary care services will remain open during the May public holidays, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has confirmed. Funded by £8.2 million from the Scottish Government, GP services and community pharmacies have been asked to remain open on the May public holidays, with NHS 24 operating with an increased number of call handlers.27/4/2020
Thousands Of Litres Of Free Hand Sanitiser From A Caithness Business
The Ice and Fire Distillery at Latheronwheel is ready to make a huge amount hand sanitizer during the coronavirus crisis. The new product will be distributed free to those who need it, including public services such as doctors' surgeries, local shops and care workers.
27/4/2020
Support For Perinatal Mental Health
Mums, dads and families at risk of poor mental health during pregnancy and the early years will be able to access enhanced peer support, parenting support and perinatal counselling services, with new annual funding of up to £1 million. The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health fund will provide crucial help by supporting third sector organisations to deliver key services and address gaps in provision.27/4/2020
Chancellor's statement to Parliament Today 27 April 2020
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has today (27 April) updated the House of Commons on the Government's economic response to Coronavirus. Mr Speaker, Thank you for giving me the opportunity to update the House on our economic response to the coronavirus.27/4/2020
New Guarantee On Death In Service Benefits For Frontline Health And Care Staff During Pandemic
The families of health and care workers on the frontline in England will benefit from a new life assurance scheme during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. New life assurance scheme launched for eligible frontline health and care workers during the coronavirus pandemic Families of eligible workers who die from coronavirus in the course of their frontline essential work will receive a £60,000 payment.27/4/2020
Scam Warning From Royal Bank
Current Fraud Trends. Criminals are always looking for new ways they can get you to part with your money and personal details, so it's really important you know how to spot these fake requests.27/4/2020
Emergency Eye Care Provision - New centres to reduce the need to attend hospital
New measures have been introduced to help patients with emergency eye problems, reducing the need for them to attend hospital during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Backed by up to £3 million of Scottish Government funding, Emergency Eyecare Treatment Centres have been established in all health board areas.27/4/2020
Help To Tackle Coronavirus - Laboratories Providing Scientific Equipment And Expertise
The Environment Secretary has praised Scottish scientific institutions which normally focus on infectious diseases in livestock, environmental security and nutrition for offering support to tackle coronavirus (COVID-19). The Scottish Government-funded James Hutton Institute, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), and Rowett Institute are providing vital scientific equipment to help with testing and have volunteered staff to work on projects too.27/4/2020
Health And Social Care Support In Scotland - Thousands Come Forward To Help In Covid-19 Emergency
More than 22,000 students and returning health and social care workers have come forward to support the NHS in its response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The figure includes nearly 7,000 students in nursing and midwifery, medicine and the allied health professions and scientific disciplines.27/4/2020
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme - First Payments Now Being Made
A Message from HMRC. Wages for furloughed employees are now being paid through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, just six working days after claims opened.24/4/2020
Highland Council Has Now Helped Over 2,300 Businesses Obtain A Small Business And Self-catering Grant But 70% of Applications Forms Not Complete
The COVID-19 small business and self-catering grant scheme, set up to help companies stay in business during the coronavirus crisis, has now paid out £26.89million to 2341 Highland businesses. The latest figures show that grants were given to 1341 businesses, to the value of £14.8m, within the past week alone.24/4/2020
Hydrogen fuelled tractor enthusiasm grows on Scottish farm
David Barron of Nether Aden in Aberdeenshire was one of a small number of farmers who has worked with SAC Consulting, part of Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), to identify ways to reduce his farm's carbon footprint. What started as a cursory interest in adapting practices on the 203-hectare 130-cow suckler beef and arable farm, has resulted in Mr Barron retrofitting two tractors and his farm jeep with a hydrogen electrolyser saving him 20% on his fuel costs, he suggests.
24/4/2020
NHS Highland tells MSP it is working on care model to help care home staff
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has been told that NHS Highland is developing a model which will help care home staff during the Covid 19 pandemic. Mrs Grant has now received a response from the health authority after last week criticising it for a lack of information on how care home residents and staff can be protected during the Coronavirus crisis.24/4/2020
HMRC Employer Bulletin - April 2020 Issue
The Employer Bulletin (April 2020, Issue 83) includes the latest update on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Also with updates on the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme and the deferral of VAT payments.23/4/2020
Dingwall & Highland Marts - Sheep Sale 23 April 2020
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts, (April, 23rd) sold 1,615 sheep of all classes. Lambs (1,265) averaged £58.77 and sold to £95 gross for Texel crosses from 5 Drynoch, Carbost.23/4/2020
Looking Beyond Lockdown - First Minister Opens Discussion On "new Normal".
A document outlining how decisions will be taken to control coronavirus (COVID-19) while restoring a degree of normality to everyday life has today been published by the Scottish Government. The paper - COVID-19: A Framework for Decision-Making - sets out the position during this ongoing period of lockdown and outlines the factors that must be considered as we move gradually to ease restrictions.22/4/2020
Council Issues More Than 7,500 School Meals Vouchers To Highland Families
Highland Council is continuing to provide free school meals through e-vouchers to families across the region while schools are closed. Over, 7,500 school meals payments of £15 per child per week have been issued to date.
22/4/2020
Royal Bank Launches Card For Carers
Royal Bank of Scotland is introducing a new ‘companion card' - a supplement card to an existing current account that enables vulnerable customers and those in extended isolation to give trusted volunteers a way to pay for their essential goods. New card offers quick & easy way for vulnerable customers to pay for essentials through a trusted carer or volunteer.22/4/2020
