News Archive
9/5/2024
First Minister John Swinney Announces New Team For Scottish Government
Cabinet of 11 will be supported by 14 Ministers. First Minister John Swinney has completed the appointment of his ministerial team.
9/5/2024
UK Environmental Taxes - 2023
Environmental taxes, using an internationally agreed definition, raised £52.5 billion in the UK in 2023, up 4.9% from £50.1 billion in 2022. Revenue from energy taxes accounted for 75.0% of all UK environmental tax revenue in 2023, followed by transport (22.5%) and pollution and resource (2.4%) taxes.
9/5/2024
Interest rate impact - Rates rise and fall across savings and mortgages 
Interest rates for savers and borrowers have shown mixed signs of both rises and falls over the past six months. Moneyfactscompare.co.uk has analysed the average rates offered across savings and mortgages and how the markets have changed over time.
9/5/2024
Rhoda Grant MSP Agrees A9 Excuses Are Pathetic
Highland and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, says the former First Minister, Alex Salmond, is correct in labelling the excuses given by the Scottish Government for the delay in dualling the A9 between Inverness and Perth as "pathetic". Commenting on the former First Minister's appearance in front of the Scottish Parliament's Citizens Participation and Public Petitions Committee this morning (08.05.2024) Rhoda Grant said "The people of the Highlands and Islands have been badly let down by this SNP Government." "I don't readily agree with much that Alex Salmond says but on this I do agree.9/5/2024
Almost 300,000 Customers Submitted Their Tax Return In The First Week Of The Tax Year
You can join them by submitting your Self Assessment tax return for 2023 to 2024 now and have peace of mind for the rest of the year. If you have already submitted your tax return, or if you do not need to complete one and have already told us, thank you, please ignore this email.9/5/2024
£2bn Highland Investment Plan Approved By Council
A Highland Investment Plan worth £2 billion over the next twenty years has been approved by Council. The Plan will see wide ranging investment across communities in the Highlands, with over £1bn of capital investment in schools and roads over the next 10 years in phase one of the programme.8/5/2024
Britain Could Soon Lose Control Of Its Defence Industry - Expert Q and A
Miltary spending is surging in the face of heightened geopolitical tensions. The UK plans to hike it to 2.5% of GDP by 2030, amounting to £87 billion a year.
8/5/2024
Why We Have A National Debt
Ignore politicians: we need a national debt. Not only is the national debt not a burden - or even something that will ever need repayment - but its existence if fundamental in the management of the economy.
8/5/2024
UK Offer £6m To Organisations To Help Creation Of A New UK National Academy Dedicated To Maths
Organisations are now invited to apply to set up a new National Academy focused on Mathematical Sciences. Competition to set up and develop new Maths Academy over next three years now open until 4 June.
8/5/2024
Vape Ban For Inverness Retailer After Sales To Children
Local vape retailer Mr Adnan Abbas, has been banned by Inverness Sheriff Court from selling vapes for 15 months through two of his retail shops, following an investigation by Highland Council Trading Standards officers. Mr Abnan Abbas owns two retails shops in the city centre of Inverness.8/5/2024
UK First In Europe To Invest In Next Generation Of Nuclear Fuel
£196 million for high-tech nuclear fuel facility and new measures for fusion energy. UK to build first high-tech nuclear fuel facility in Europe to shut Putin's Russia out of the global market and create hundreds of jobs to improve energy security at home and abroad.
8/5/2024
New Plans To Drive Carbon Capture Industry Forward
A call for evidence launched today to explore new ways to transport captured CO2 that would enable more UK industries to adopt carbon capture technology. New ways to transport captured carbon could open the industry country-wide more businesses to benefit from new technology to help cut emissions and create jobs move key to pave the way for widespread deployment of carbon capture by 2035 Millions of tonnes of captured carbon dioxide (CO2) could be transported via road, rail, barge or ship, revolutionising the way it reaches offshore storage sites, helping more businesses cut emissions.
8/5/2024
Vaping Now More Common Than Smoking Among Young People - And The Risks Go Beyond Lung And Brain Damage
Vaping is now more common than cigarette smoking among young people, according to a new report coordinated by the University of Glasgow and commissioned by the World Health Organization. This echoes research that has found the popularity of vaping among young people in the UK has surged in recent years.8/5/2024
Humza Yousaf Steps Down As First Minister - New First Minister Nominated
First Minister tenders resignation to King Charles. Humza Yousaf, the youngest and first person of colour to hold the office of Scotland's First Minister has formally stepped down.8/5/2024
DWPs Access To Work Applications Go Digital
Core grants from the DWP's Access to Work scheme are now available through our online portal. Government grants to help make work life easier for disabled people can now be applied for online, as the Access to Work scheme goes digital.
8/5/2024
UK Launches Search For Industry Partners To Develop Fusion Plant
The competition will identify the best industry partners to form a world-leading public-private alliance led by UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd. Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Claire Coutinho, and Minister for Nuclear and Renewables, Andrew Bowie, announce industry competition to find engineering and construction partners for the UK's prototype fusion energy plant.
7/5/2024
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 7 May 2024
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (May 7th) sold 8 Prime Cattle. Prime Bullocks (2) averaged 295.1p per kg and sold to 300.0p per kg and £1,875.00 gross.
7/5/2024
Building Societies Strive To Support First-time Buyers
Building societies are working hard to support first-time buyers, for whom affordability has been cited at its worst for decades. Moneyfactscompare.co.uk reveals the availability and pricing of deals for new buyers with small deposits.
7/5/2024
Six Reasons To Tax - Richard Murphy
Most people think governments tax people to pay for government spending, but in a country like the UK that is never true. There are, in fact, six reasons to tax - but not one of them is about funding public services.
7/5/2024
