News Archive
4/2/2019
Highland Council winter road condition report for Monday, 04 February 2019
Maps of the Council's gritting routes by priority and policy are available online at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.4/2/2019
Bionic Arm Start Up Secures £4.6 Million To Go Global
More children and young people set to benefit from 3D printed ‘hero' arm, which has received support through Innovate UK's SBRI programme. Bristol-based Open Bionics will take its bespoke 3D-printed prosthetic arms to even more children and young people, after attracting £4.6 million from investors.4/2/2019
Update On Fishing For Sea Bass In 2019
Revised rules relating to fishing for sea bass came in from midnight 31 January 2019. Following the publication of the 2019 Total Allowable Catch Regulation in the official journal of the European Union, the revised rules relating to fishing for sea bass now apply.4/2/2019
Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics: 2017-18
The statistics report Criminal justice social work statistics in Scotland : 2017-18 has been published today by Scotland's Chief Statistician. This includes information on criminal justice social work services and social work orders, as well as characteristics of the people involved.4/2/2019
Treasury Backs British Brewers With Duty Freeze
The Chancellor announces that alcohol duties are frozen for another year. from 1st February 2019, taxes on beer, cider and spirits are frozen for another year, keeping costs down for industry and consumers alike.4/2/2019
Public Sector Finances: December 2018
Office For Budget Responsibility Report. Deficit continues to fall significantly in 2018-19.
4/2/2019
Low Pay Commission Publishes Research On The Effects Of The Minimum Wage On Employment And Automation
Every year the Low Pay Commission commissions research projects to help evaluate the effects of the minimum wage rates we have recommended. Published on 1st February 2019 are two final reports and two interim reports.4/2/2019
Support From HMRC For Employers
If you're an employer who provides expenses and benefits to your staff, we have live webinars and online support specifically for you. You can ask questions during the webinars using the on-screen text box.4/2/2019
Over 93% Of Taxpayers File Tax Returns By The Deadline
A total of 93.68% of Self Assessment tax returns - a new record – were completed by yesterday's midnight deadline, HMRC has revealed. More than 11.5 million taxpayers were required to file their 2017/18 tax returns by 11.59pm on 31 January.3/2/2019
Extra Funding Approved For A890 Stromferry Rock Stabilisation Works
Members of The Highland Council's Environment, Development and Infrastructure (EDI) Committee have approved an additional £2.185m for further remedial rock stabilisation works at the A890 Stromeferry bypass. They have also agreed the formation of a Cross Party Options Selection Group to consider the recommendation of the preferred long term solution for a bypass.
3/2/2019
Committee gives go-ahead for future Timber Transport funding opportunities
Members of The Highland Council's Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee have agreed that up to £0.5m go towards the 2019/20 round of Timber Transport schemes that will bring future benefits to communities and rural roads in Highlands. The money will come from the Council's road structural (capital) fund and be used as match funding for the Strategic Timber Transport Fund (STTF) operated by Forestry Commission Scotland.3/2/2019
Caithness Land Management Plan
Forest Enterprise Scotland will be revising the Land Management Plan (LMP) for the National Forest Estate across Caithness during 2019 and we'd like to know what you think about your local public forests and woodlands. The new plan will detail our harvesting plans and habitat management for the next ten years in detail and describe a broad strategy for management over the next twenty five years.
3/2/2019
UKs Tax Relief Bill Has Grown To £164bn
UK's tax relief bill has grown to £164bn - more than the country's entire health spend. The UK's tax relief bill has grown to a record £164bn in 2018-19 - underlining the need for greater scrutiny of these reliefs - the Resolution Foundation said in response to the latest annual HMRC tax statistics.3/2/2019
Improvements To Animal Welfare
Proposals to increase sentencing for animal cruelty. The Scottish Government is seeking views on proposals to strengthen enforcement powers for animal welfare offences.3/2/2019
Promoting Scotland In North America
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will visit North America next week to strengthen trade and cultural links between Scotland and the USA and Canada. The visit comes as new figures show the USA remains Scotland's top export destination country, with an estimated £5.5 billion of exports in 2017 - up by 11.1% from the previous year.
3/2/2019
Home Ownership Ticks Up - But It's Coming Later In Life
Home ownership rates rose across England (up 1 percentage point to 64 per cent), and even in London (up slightly to 48 per cent), last year (2017/18) - the Resolution Foundation said in response to the English Housing Survey headline report. Despite the uptick, ownership rates remain well below their 2003 peak of 71 per cent.3/2/2019
Thirtysomethings Are Still Feeling The Financial Crisis Scars In Their Pay Packets
Workers in their 30s are still feeling the scars of the post-crisis pay squeeze in their pay packets, with typical pay for this age group still 7 per cent below its pre-crisis peak, according to new analysis published today (Sunday) in the Resolution Foundation's latest Earnings Outlook. The Earnings Outlook shows that, following the unwelcome return of a pay squeeze in 2017, earnings growth started to recover in early 2018.2/2/2019
Nuclear Employees WiN Big At National Diversity Conference
Employees from across the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group were honoured at a national awards ceremony for their work in addressing gender imbalance and diversity in the nuclear industry. Phil Craig, former Managing Director of Dounreay, scooped the coveted ‘Ally of the Year' title at the Women in Nuclear (WiN) UK conference yesterday, for being a leading male advocate of gender balance and diversity.
2/2/2019
Automation And Robotics Showcase
The latest advancements in robotics and automation can make businesses more productive and efficient but do you know how to harness this technology? Are you confident that you won't miss out as others develop this competitive advantage? Find out from the experts how your business can stay one step ahead at Scotland's first ever showcase of automation and robotics, on 6th and 7th February 2019 at in Inverness. The free two-day event is designed to show how a range of industries, from manufacturing and engineering, to construction and timber can benefit from advances in robotics and automation to become more productive and efficient.
2/2/2019
