News Archive
12/3/2020
From the Fraser of Allender Institute. This was one of the most significant UK budgets in recent years - although it has very limited ‘Scottish specific' implications.
12/3/2020
The Electoral Commission this afternoon tweeted - "We've written to the UK Government to recommend that the May polls be postponed until the autumn as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This is due to growing risks to the delivery of the polls & to mitigate the impact on voters, campaigners & electoral administrators." Does not apply in Scotland as elections are in May 2021.
12/3/2020
Rapid joint engagement is needed on funding for the COVID-19 response in Scotland following the UK Government's Budget, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes has said. Responding to the UK Budget, Ms Forbes said:"While I’m pleased to see the UK Government’s economic response to coronavirus following my calls for this at the UK Treasury yesterday, we need confirmation on what this will mean for Scotland.
11/3/2020
New HMRC helpline launched to help businesses concerned about paying their tax due to coronavirus (COVID-19). HMRC has a set up a phone helpline to support businesses and self-employed people concerned about not being able to pay their tax due to coronavirus (COVID-19).
11/3/2020
An unprecedented announcement form the Bank of England was made unusually at 700am today to help businesses in the face of a down turn due to the Coronavirus. It follows a cut by the Federal Reserve in USA last week.
11/3/2020
Government budget to pledge £2.5 billion to fill 50 million potholes. New technology available to help local councils respond to pothole crisis following budget announcement.
11/3/2020
The chancellor announced the biggest spending budget in over 30 years. He announced £30bn of help to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus outbreak and more than £600bn for infrastructure spending over the next five years.
11/3/2020
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has unveiled a £30bn package to help the economy get through the coronavirus outbreak. Public safety is the government's top priority in its response to COVID-19 and it is taking firm and comprehensive action, consistent with the best scientific evidence.
11/3/2020
Tens of thousands of England's retail, leisure and hospitality firms will not pay any business rates in the coming year. Companies with a rateable value of less than £51,000 will be eligible for a tax holiday.
11/3/2020
Fraser of Allander Institute - March 11, 2020. Since February's Budget, there has been discussion about income tax in Scotland and public spending.
11/3/2020
The government is committed to levelling up across the UK by raising productivity and growth in all nations and regions, creating opportunity for everyone, and addressing disparities in economic and social outcomes. For too long the UK has under-invested in infrastructure, leaving many people stuck with delays and poor service.
11/3/2020
The government is committed to taking action to help with the cost of living for everyone across the UK and ensure that the most vulnerable in society get the support they need. Alongside the Budget, the government is formally announcing a new, ambitious target for the National Living Wage (NLW) to reach two-thirds of median earnings and be extended to workers aged 21 and over by 2024, provided economic conditions allow.
11/3/2020
The people of the UK are rightly proud of its world-class public services. The NHS, schools and police provide the security and support that allow the British people to lead safe, prosperous and healthy lives.
11/3/2020
Comments from www.edie.net/ After Chancellor Rishi Sunak opened his red budget box to reveal fresh funding for natural climate solutions and carbon capture and storage (CCS), edie rounds up what key green economy leaders make of the new financial measures for the net-zero transition. Taking place earlier this afternoon (11 March 2020), the Budget was Rishi Sunak's first as Chancellor, after Sajid Javid made a shock resignation ahead of last month's Cabinet reshuffle.
11/3/2020
As part of its commitment to levelling up the whole of the UK, the government will support economic growth in each of the four nations and will strengthen the ties that bind them into a prosperous United Kingdom. The government will work closely with the devolved administrations on this agenda, especially where it is possible to achieve better outcomes in partnership with Cardiff Bay, Holyrood and Stormont.
11/3/2020
Dr Gordon Fletcher, retail expert from the University of Salford Business School, says today budget will offer hope to the high street. Reacting to the budget announcement, he said: "In what will inevitably labelled as the coronavirus budget the chancellor offered some hope for the high street in among the high levels of infrastructure and health spending.
11/3/2020
The NHS is the government's number one spending priority. The NHS settlement, confirmed in January 2019, provided the largest cash increase in public services since the Second World War - an additional £34 billion per year by 2023-24.25 Spending Round 2019 confirmed the government's commitment to the NHS, with £139 billion for health budgets in 2020‑21.26.
11/3/2020
The UK has already cut carbon emissions by more than any other G7 country and in 2019 was the first major economy to legislate for a target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. As the UK prepares to host this year's COP26 UN climate summit, the Budget announces a range of policies to reduce emissions, ensure our environment is protected and resilient to climate change, and generate green economic opportunities across the nations and regions of the UK.
11/3/2020
CBI SCOTLAND - A BUDGET FOR RESILIENCE TODAY AND AMBITION TOMORROW. Tracy Black, CBI Scotland Director, said:"Scotland needs sustained investment, from upgrading digital and transport infrastructure to bolstering our education and skills system, so the news of additional funding for Scotland is welcome.
11/3/2020
Publishing the Low Pay Commission's 2020 Remit - Alongside the Budget, the government has published its remit to the Low Pay Commission (LPC) for 2020. Confirming the government's ambitious target, the remit asks the LPC to make recommendations with the view of reaching a National Living Wage (NLW) of two-thirds of median earnings by 2024, provided economic conditions allow.