One of the UK's most challenging civil engineering projects will be paused for the next few months as winter takes hold on Cairngorm mountain estate. Teams from contractor Balfour Beatty, acting for Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), have been busy on site since April 2021, carrying out a range of technical tasks to strengthen the 1.8km viaduct that supports the Cairngorm funicular railway.
A four-year aquaculture R&D project that will create 30 jobs has been awarded up to £5m. A four-year aquaculture research and development project has been awarded up to £5m in public sector funding.
Highland Councillors have agreed an ambitious approach to developing a net zero strategy and action plan for the region that will maximise external funding to deliver its climate change targets. Councillors welcomed feedback on staff and Members' attendance at COP26 which helped to secure a variety of benefits and new opportunities to support and strengthen the Council’s approach to climate action.
Development partner hub North Scotland can confirm work has been completed on the new Broadford Hospital on Skye and the building handed over to NHS Highland. The successful completion of the 24-bed hospital follows the handover of the Badenoch and Strathspey Community Hospital in Aviemore in September in a £40 million hub North Scotland development on behalf of NHS Highland.
First intensive short courses in HGV driving get under way to help tackle skills shortages and support up to 11,000 people launching new careers in the logistics sector. Free courses for adults to train to be HGV drivers are under way across the country - as part of a package of measures to ease driver shortages and support supply chains this Christmas and beyond.
Scotland's Budget is providing record funding to health and social care, including £12.9 billion for health boards to support patient services and ensure frontline funding increases by at least £2.5 billion by 2026-27. This will be part of a total £18 billion allocated to the sector as it faces up to the continued challenges of COVID-19.
The latest data shows record numbers of students accepted places to study nursing and midwifery in England for the second year running. Record numbers of students accepted places to study nursing and midwifery in England this year for the second year running, according to the latest data on university admissions published by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
North of the Ord - One Artist's View of Caithness is the new exhibition at the Thurso Gallery. Mixed media textile artist Debbie Lee started the collection when the country was in lockdown, with inspiration sought locally, most often whilst out for walks.
Cheerleaders for Cambo's shutdown throwing energy workers and UK's energy security under a bus, says GMB Union. GMB, the energy union, says the decision to pause the Cambo oil field project amounts to a ‘surrender of the national interest.' The firm behind the development off Shetland is reported to be ‘pausing' the project.
Weekly national influenza and COVID-19 report, monitoring coronavirus (COVID-19) activity, seasonal flu and other seasonal respiratory illnesses. The main points from this week's national influenza and COVID-19 surveillance report are: Surveillance indicators suggest that at a national level COVID-19 activity has increased in some indicators such as case rates for those aged 5 to 9 and the number of acute respiratory infection incidents in England in week 48 of 2021.
5,018 new cases of COVID-19 reported*. 57,764 new tests for COVID-19 that reported results* 9.3% of these were positive.
Government is naming and shaming businesses which failed to pay the minimum wage to 12,000 of the lowest paid workers. 208 businesses named and shamed by government for failing to pay their employees the minimum wage.
National study will test new COVID-19 treatments. New treatment options will see people in the early stages of illness from COVID-19 who are at higher risk of complications access new antiviral treatments.
The 2022-2023 Scottish Budget will help transition Scotland to becoming more prosperous, fairer and greener, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes has said. No matter what M/s Forbes sets out one thing is sure in that the SNP have an agreement with the Green party and the budget wil pass with little trouble.
A cutting-edge autonomous system able to detect modern sea mine threats and reduce risk to life has been delivered to the Royal Navy. The remotely-operated boat, controlled from either a ship or land, tows a highly-sensitive detection device to combat sea mines and keep ships and personnel away from danger.
Scotland's census has faced considerable challenges and is expected to cost £21.6 million more than originally planned. Careful management is needed to ensure its successful delivery in March 2022.
3,196 new cases of COVID-19 reported*. 42,387 new tests for COVID-19 that reported results* 8.0% of these were positive.
The lifeline ferry service between Stromness and Scrabster will cease operation completely for a fortnight this winter, NorthLink Ferries has confirmed. The route is to be shutdown from January 31 until February 13 while mv Hamnavoe goes into dry dock for maintenance.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has today announced a two-year extension to its ground-breaking industrial partnership aimed at inspiring and supporting young people in the nuclear industry. Chief Executive, David Peattie, announced that the NDA's partnership with the Nuclear Institute’s (NI) Young Generation Network (YGN) would continue for another two years following a hugely successful first year of collaboration and support.
Rope access experts have been abseiling down 20 metre high rock walls around Dounreay's low level radioactive waste vaults, carrying out rock face maintenance and stabilisation work. Dounreay operates facilities for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste adjacent to the nuclear licensed site.
