News Archive
16/5/2024
Rhoda Grant MSP Reacts To New Figures On Food Bank Use
Newly published statistics have shown that in the past year, 262,400 emergency food parcels were given out by food banks in Scotland through the Trussell Trust network. From April of last year until March 2024, 86,000 food parcels were distributed to families with children, and overall food bank use remains close to record levels from the previous year.
16/5/2024
Failed Asylum Seekers Detained For Removal To Rwanda
Failed asylum seekers are now in scope for enforced removal to Rwanda, after a deal to extend the cohort was agreed between the UK and Rwanda. It is the latest stage in a major operation across all 4 nations of the country to detain and remove illegal migrants from the UK.
15/5/2024
Sumitomo Milestone As Ground Is Broken On £350m Factory Project
Enterprise agencies welcome Sumitomo milestone as ground is broken on £350m factory project. Sumitomo Electric Ltd.
15/5/2024
Dounreay Bosses Accused As Workers Strike At Nuclear Site Today
Bosses at Dounreay have driven workers to strike after hiding behind civil service pay rules, according to GMB Scotland. Workers at the nuclear complex are on strike today after overwhelmingly rejecting a revised pay offer and backing industrial action.
15/5/2024
Highland Council Has The Biggest Budget Gap In Scotland Of All 32 Councils
Todays Audit Scotland report Local government budgets 2024/25 reveals how dire council budgets are. This makes many more cuts in services likely in coming years.
15/5/2024
HMRC Needs To Be In Every Town And City In The Country - Richard Murphy
Over the last ten years or so, our tax authority has closed the vast majority of tax offices in the UK. No wonder we are not collecting large parts of the tax the country is owed.
15/5/2024
New Golden Age Of Shipbuilding As New Uk-built Warships Boost Navy Building Programme To Up To 28 Ships And Submarines 
With up to 28 warships and submarines in the pipeline, backed by defence spending rising to 2.5% of GDP, Britain is seeing a new Golden Age of shipbuilding. Defence spending boost driving new Golden Age of shipbuilding Defence Secretary announces Royal Navy shipbuilding programme to rise to up to 28 ships and submarines to deliver a more secure future.
15/5/2024
Scotland's Councils Face Severe Challenges To Balance The Books - It's Much Worse Than You Thought
Scotland's councils faced a collective gap of up to £585 million between the money needed to deliver services and the money available when setting their budgets this year. This is estimated to increase to £780 million by 2026/27.
15/5/2024
Sustainable Tourism Strategy Launched For Public Consultation - May 2024
Following the recent Economy and Infrastructure Committee (Thursday 2 May 2024), where Members approved the Council's Draft Sustainable Tourism Strategy and agreed a public and stakeholder engagement programme, the public consultation has now been launched on 14 May 2024. Economy and Infrastructure Committee Chair, Cllr Ken Gowans said: "The tourism sector has seen incredible growth over recent times.15/5/2024
Scottish Secretary Responds To Labour Market Stats For May 2024
Alister Jack says getting more people into employment is a priority with more than £3bn now invested directly into Scotland to boost growth and prosperity. Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said, "We've made good progress as wages are rising faster than inflation and payroll numbers in Scotland have increased since the start of 2024.
15/5/2024
Government Unveils Major Package Of Farming And Food Sector Support
The Prime Minister has unveiled a major package of measures to support farmers and grow the UK's farming and food sector. A major package of measures to support farmers and grow the UK's farming and food sector has been announced by the government on Tuesday 14 May 2024.
15/5/2024
Justice for Post Office Horizon victims
Bill to exonerate wrongly convicted sub-postmasters. Sub-postmasters wrongly convicted as a result of the faulty Horizon IT system will automatically be exonerated under proposed legislation introduced to the Scottish Parliament today.15/5/2024
Community Energy Generation Growth Fund - £1.5 Million To Support Community Projects
A fund to help community groups across Scotland set up renewable energy generation projects has opened for applications. The £1.5 million Community Energy Generation Growth Fund will support local communities installing wind turbines and solar panels or developing other types of renewable energy generation, such as hydro, to meet local needs.14/5/2024
Are Your Drivers Up To Date With Their Driver CPC?
The deadline for many professional drivers to complete their Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training is 9 September 2024. To make sure your drivers can find training in time, we are asking operators to encourage drivers whose Driver CPC runs out this September to check that they have completed 35 hours well before the 9 September deadline.
14/5/2024
World-leading 3d Printer Used By British Army In The Field For First Time
A cutting-edge 3D printer is being used by the British Army for the first time in the field on the largest NATO deployment in Europe in a generation. 9 Theatre Support Battalion, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, are using the technology to make spare parts for vehicles as well as print vital modifications to battle-winning equipment on NATO exercise Steadfast Defender - the largest NATO deployment in Europe in a generation.
14/5/2024
£9 Million Funding For Satellite Instruments To Monitor Climate
The UK Space Agency has announced its largest investment into an early-stage technology programme to enhance the UK's Earth observation technologies, to improve how space is used to understand and protect the planet. Delivered by the Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation (CEOI), the £9 million will support 12 projects that will enhance the ability to monitor Earth's atmosphere and measure critical emissions such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen dioxide.
14/5/2024
DWP Updates Fraud Plan
Department for Work and Pensions announces it has saved £1.3 billion from fraud and error. Comes as government updates plan to further crack down on benefit cheats, including creating new legal powers and hiring more staff.
14/5/2024
Closure Of Visitscotland Icentres
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, has called on VisitScotland to reconsider its decision to close their information centres throughout Scotland. The MSP has already contacted the Minister with responsibility for the issue, but she has now also contacted VisitScotland directly in light of information on visitor numbers using the Kirkwall centre being uncovered via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.14/5/2024
UK Government Working Hand In Hand With Australia To Promote Trade In Legal And Tech Services
Legal and technology professionals on opposite sides of the world are set to benefit from bolstered connections between the UK and Australia through the UK Government's GREAT Legal Services campaign's latest programme of events. Minister Freer visits Australia as part of GREAT Legal Services campaign to promote the UK legal and tech sectors.
14/5/2024
