The Scottish Parliament has approved in principle a bill that will give local authorities and communities the opportunity to directly manage Scottish Crown Estate assets. The Scottish Crown Estate Bill will establish a framework for changes in the management of these assets to deliver wider benefits and new opportunities for local control, including giving local authorities and communities a stronger voice in the management of Scottish Crown Estate assets.
Up to £2 million of funding to encourage innovation in the offshore wind sector and reduce development costs has been announced by the Scottish Government. The funding is targeted at supporting innovation across the sector to reduce long-term costs, improving health and safety standards, and widening educational opportunities within the industry.
A National Statistics Publication for Scotland. Scotland's Chief Statistician today released Scottish Annual Business Statistics (SABS) 2016.
Public consultation launched. Proposals for a five year transition period for farming and rural support, should Scotland leave the EU, have been announced by Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing.
Cautious optimism for growth in 2018/19 but lack of clarity on Brexit risks 'holding back Scotland's recovery'. Uncertainties hampering business preparations - Scottish economic growth is set to recover this year but remain below trend, according to analysis by the University of Strathclyde's Fraser of Allander Institute.
Legislation to make sprinkler systems compulsory in new social housing is to be taken forward. Housing Minister Kevin Stewart confirmed that the Scottish Government will take forward David Stewart MSP's proposal for a Members' Bill to make it a legal requirement for all future new build social housing properties to be fitted with sprinkler systems.
Unions have served formal notice on East Dunbartonshire Council and its offshoot East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust of four days of strike action over proposed cuts to workers' terms and conditions. UNISON members will take strike action on 21, 22, 25 and 26 June.
Under 18s will face tough new barriers to buying knives online, following the introduction of the Offensive Weapons Bill. The bill will mean online retailers cannot sell knives online without rigorous age-verification, and will no longer be able to deliver knives to residential addresses or drop-off points.
New efforts to recruit doctors, nurses and specialist health staff from across the world will launch later this year. Following the relaxation of UK visa rules, the Scottish Government will expand its activity to attract overseas medical and nursing staff who can bring their expertise and skills to work in health and care services.
An Official Statistics Publication for Scotland. Scotland's Chief Statistician today published local authority Provisional Outturn (2017-18) and Budget Estimate (2018-19) Statistics.
Up to 100 new homeworking jobs are set to be created in the Highlands and Islands. The jobs will be for people with excellent customer care skills looking for the flexibility of working from home.
The launch of Broch Rose gin is on Wednesday 20th evening at the distillery tasting room of Dunnet Bat Distillery. Tickets are £20 including a Rock Rose G&T, canapes, tutored tasting of Broch Rose gin and to finish a Broch Rose G&T.
Roc Technologies today announced it has been awarded a 5-year contract to transform and manage IT services by Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd(Dounreay). Dounreay is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Cavendish Dounreay Partnership Ltd, a consortium of Cavendish Nuclear, Jacobs and AECOM and funded by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to deliver the site closure programme at Dounreay.
At this crucial time in the programme, the Ministry of Defence (the Department) needs to ensure it manages its costs, people, contractors and schedule effectively to maintain the Defence Nuclear Enterprise, says the report published in May 2018 by the National Audit Office (NAO). In Caithness there is one site - Vulcan next to the nuclear establishment at Dounreay.
Universal Credit has taken significantly longer to roll-out than intended, may cost more than the benefits system it replaces, and the Department for Work and Pensions (the Department) will never be able to measure whether it has achieved its stated goal of increasing employment. In today's report, the National Audit Office (NAO) concludes that Universal Credit has not delivered value for money and it is uncertain that it ever will.
Weeks commencing 4th and11th June 2018 Energy & Business Services: I'm looking forward next week to meeting with representatives of Sykes @ Home when they come to Caithness to begin a recruitment process for Homeworkers. CNSRP partner Highlands and Islands Enterprise has continued to work on attracting business services opportunities to the north, and this one will be of interest to many people in the area.
The National Audit Office (NAO) has published an investigation into the government's handling of the collapse of Carillion. The liquidation of Carillion will cost UK taxpayers an estimated £148 million, although this is subject to a range of uncertainties and it could take years to establish the final cost.
Two new funds have been announced to encourage more people to start using electric bicycles, particularly for shorter journeys. The Low Carbon Transport Loan Fund will have £500,000 available for interest-free loans of up to £3,000 to help individuals and businesses purchase e-bikes and e-cargo bikes.
There were 2,060 more deaths and 539 fewer births registered in Scotland between 1 January and 31 March 2018 than in the same period of 2017, according to provisional figures released today by National Records of Scotland. The publication, ‘Births, deaths and other vital events, 2018 Q1', shows that at 12,713, the number of births registered was 539 (4.1 per cent) fewer than in the same period of 2017 and the lowest quarter one total since 2002.
See the full report at- http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/uploads/docs/report/2018/as_annual_report_1718.pdf.
