News Archive
4/8/2014
Police acknowledge 8 year sentencing of Duncan Begg for serious violent and sexual crimes
Police Scotland acknowledges the 8 year sentence given to Duncan Begg at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday 01 August 2014, following his conviction in July for serious violent and sexual crimes. Mr Begg was convicted of rapes, sexual assaults and assaults of women in Caithness between 1984 and 2010.4/8/2014
Scottish Independence, the EU and the Rebate Debate
This short film posted on Youtube 24 July 2014. With the indyref showdown fast approaching, Scotland needs to know the implications of a YesScotland or a BetterTogether vote.
4/8/2014
Half of Scottish credit card holders offered unsolicited credit limit increase
*50% of credit card customers in Scotland offered higher credit limit by their lenders. *Two-thirds of these accepted the increased limit.2/8/2014
"New Switching Figures Hint at a Big Bank Backlash"
Matt Sanders, Gocompare.com's banking expert, said: "These figures make interesting reading and it's clear that customers have been enticed by incentives and cash back deals. The figures show that the biggest winners are Santander with its 123 account, which offers varying amounts of cashback, and Halifax with its £100 payment for those who switched to its Reward account, as well as the £5 per month in credit incentive.2/8/2014
Scotland's first Archaeology Institute established in the Highlands and Islands
The University of the Highlands and Islands has announced the establishment of its new Archaeology Institute. Centred in the heart of the rich and diverse archaeological heritage of the region, the Institute aims to advance our understanding of the historic environment through the creation, interpretation and dissemination of archaeological knowledge.
2/8/2014
Revealed: How the Savings Market Is Failing Consumers
In the most comprehensive analysis of the cash savings market ever, Which? reveals the full extent of how some providers are failing consumers and leaving them with next to no return on their money. While there have been improvements from a handful of providers, our new report - The Savings Trap - is a damning indictment of the systemic failings and poor practices in this market that distort competition and make it difficult for people to know whether they are getting a good return on their savings.1/8/2014
Euromillions FIFA World Cup Online Lottery scam
The Highland Council's Trading Standards is alerting consumers to be on their guard if they receive a ‘Final Award Notification' letter address from "Euromillions FIFA World Cup Super-Lottery". Letters are being sent out by fraudsters claiming that people have won £725,000.1/8/2014
Works start on Carbon CLEVER Cycle storage in Inverness
Works to install twelve storage lockers for electric bikes have started this week in Inverness - six at Falcon Square and a further six at Glenurquhart Road. The public are advised that contractors McGregor Construction and SSE will be on site at both locations.1/8/2014
Defined Contribution Workplace Pensions: The Audit of Charges and Benefits in Legacy Schemes
A progress update has today been published by the Independent Project Board responsible for overseeing the audit of charges and benefits in legacy defined contribution workplace pension schemes. View the full update at - http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/docs/dc-audit-charges-benefits-legacy-report-2014.pdf .1/8/2014
US Economy Rebounds Strongly
Keith Wade, Chief Economist at Schroders, comments on yesterday's US GDP figures, which far outstripped expectations with growth of 4%. "Within the details, consumer expenditure was the largest contributor to the quarterly figures (+1.7 percentage points) as households took advantage of the continued improvement in real disposable income.1/8/2014
More and More Money Advice Service Customers Are Taking Action
More and more people are taking action after receiving support from the Money Advice Service. New figures reveal that in the year from April 2013 to March 2014 its customers took 653,000 positive steps to manage their debt better, save regularly, prepare for retirement, protect their assets or provide for their dependants.1/8/2014
Economic Review, August 2014
The preliminary estimate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) indicated that the UK economy grew by 0.8% in Q2 2014. This is the sixth successive quarter of output growth, contributing to annual growth of 3.1% - the highest rate since Q4 2007.1/8/2014
20.5 Million People Plan to Rely on State Benefits When They Retire
Just three per cent of the UK see saving for their retirement as a top priority. One in three people have no pension provision at all.1/8/2014
A Licence to Print Money
Ofgem has today set out its proposed price control settlements for five of the six companies that run Britain's local electricity network, which transports energy into homes and businesses. www.ofgem.gov.uk/press-releases/ofgem-announces-£17-billion-electricity-network-and-cuts-bills-consumers Ecotricity founder Dale Vince wrote to Ofgem over 18 months ago highlighting the incredible profits being made by these electricity distribution companies that operate as a monopoly.1/8/2014
Moneysupermarket Tells Energy Customers Still To Shop Around
MoneySuperMarket Comments on Ofgem's Announcement That the Big Six Energy Firms Will Double Profit Margins Over the Next Year. Commenting on Ofgem's announcement that the Big Six energy firms will double profit margins over the next year, Stephen Murray, energy expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: "This news from Ofgem is yet another example of a failing energy market, at a time when UK households are still feeling the squeeze from high bills.1/8/2014
Over £0.7billion Left Unspent in Britain's Back Pockets
New research from Lloyds Bank reveals that Britons are letting the pennies slip when it comes to looking after their cash. Overall, men have £20 and women have £10 unspent change each month, meaning we could be sitting on over £0.7bn that is left in our back pockets, houses, cars and offices.1/8/2014
Driving Licence Fees to Fall
Driving licence fees are set to fall by up to 32% under plans announced today by Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, and Transport Minister Claire Perry. The proposals are contained in a public consultation on driver licensing fees.31/7/2014
Wick Set To Become Beatrice Operation and Maintenance Base
Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Ltd (BOWL), a joint venture partnership formed between SSE Renewables (75%) and Repsol Nuevas Energias UK (25%), has announced that Wick Harbour is likely to become the future location of the Beatrice offshore wind farm Operation and Maintenance base (O&M). A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been finalised with Wick Harbour Authority and BOWL this week.
Financial boost for start-up ventures in Highland and Moray
Entrepreneurs in Highland and Moray are now able to access personal loans to help start their own business thanks to the new government-funded Start-Up Loans scheme which is locally delivered by Business Gateway and Highland Opportunity. For Moray businesses, this is an especially important development.30/7/2014
