News Archive
29/3/2024
Childhood Immunisation Statistics Scotland - Quarter And Year Ending 31 December 2023
This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) provides an annual and quarterly update of immunisation uptake rates for children in Scotland. Immunisation programmes for children aim to protect the individual child from many serious infectious diseases and prevent the spread of disease in the wider population.
29/3/2024
Consumer Trends, Uk - October To December 2023
In Quarter 4 (Oct to Dec) 2023, household spending growth (adjusted for inflation) was negative 0.1% compared with Quarter 3 (July to Sept) 2023. Compared with Quarter 4 2022, household spending increased by 0.3%.29/3/2024
Marine Fund Scotland 2024-25 Launches
Applications opened for the fourth year of the Marine Fund Scotland on 28 March 2024. Addressing the Fisheries Management Scotland conference today, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands Mairi Gougeon confirmed that £14m will be made available through the Fund in 2024-25 to help deliver Scotland's Blue Economy Vision, which sets out plans to transform the way the marine environment is used and how Scotland's ‘blue' resources are managed.29/3/2024
Calls For Action On Stopping Tobacco Smoking And Youth Vaping
Members of the Scottish Public Health System have issued a position statement that calls for national and local action to help stop tobacco smoking and youth vaping in Scotland. The group, a collaboration between Public Health Scotland and Scottish Directors of Public Health, highlights that both issues present a public health challenge that requires bold and collective action.
29/3/2024
Judas And The Economics Of Betrayal
No one remembers the names of the soldiers who arrested Jesus, or the civil servants who organised his crucifixion. But Judas Iscariot has not been forgotten, and will forever be associated with treachery and betrayal.
29/3/2024
New House Prices Are Rising Rapidly Despite A Flat Market - We Need To Diversify What We Build And Who Builds It
In the latest figures on UK house prices, new builds are particularly eye-catching. The price for such homes has increased by 17% in the past year, while the average price for existing homes cooled by 2.4%.
29/3/2024
Renewable Electricity Growth In Scotland
Scotland's capacity for electricity generation from renewable sources increased by 10% within a year, with the largest growth coming in offshore and onshore wind installations. New figures for 2023 show Scotland continues to generate more electricity than it uses, with net exports to other UK nations worth an estimated £1.5 billion thanks to record production levels in the second half of the year.29/3/2024
In The Fog Of The Video Streaming Wars, Job Losses And Business Closures Are Imminent
Prussian general and military theorist Carl von Clausewitz presented the concept of the "fog of war" in 1832. It is a phrase that has become synonymous with the uncertainty and confusion of military battle.
29/3/2024
Generative AI Is Changing The Legal Profession - Future Lawyers Need To Know How To Use It
Generative AI - technology such as ChatGPT that creates content when prompted - is affecting how solicitors, judges and barristers work. It's also likely to change the work they are being asked to do.
29/3/2024
Increasing Ai Transparency
All public sector use of Artificial Intelligence to be registered. Scotland is to become the first part of the UK to make it mandatory to register any use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the public sector.
29/3/2024
Simplifying The Planning Process In Scotland
New measures to simplify the planning process for zero and low carbon technologies will help homeowners and businesses save money and reduce their emissions. Permitted development rights grant permission for certain developments through legislation, meaning they can be undertaken without a planning application.29/3/2024
Climate Scientists And Actuaries Show The Sting In Climate's Tail
A new report on climate risk, co-authored by a GAD actuary, is based on the latest climate research. It was a collaboration between actuaries and scientists.
29/3/2024
UK Half Way To Net Zero
Provisional data shows UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions fell further across several key sectors between 2022 and 2023. UK greenhouse gas emissions continue to fall, UK now half way to net zero as emissions have been cut by 53% between 1990 and 2023 or 50% when including emissions from international aviation and shipping.
29/3/2024
Limping But Getting Better - Economy Slowly Recovers In Line With Expectations
Economic data in early 2024 is showing that the economy is likely to be recovering hesitantly as expected, following the contractions in growth in the final part of 2023. This comes in the latest economic assessment from the Fraser of Allander Institute at Strathclyde University.
28/3/2024
Visit Scotland To Close All 25 Visitor Centres By 2026 - Statement By Lord Thurso
Statement By Lord Thurso, VisitScotland Chair. I have been Chair of VisitScotland for eight years and in that period we've seen huge changes to the way people access their travel information, not to mention advances in technology and shifts in the economic landscape.
28/3/2024
National Chef Backs Food Payment Push
Superchef Gary Maclean has urged people to check whether they may be newly-qualified for a benefit which helps with the cost of buying healthy food, milk and first infant formula. Best Start Foods is up to £39.60 via a pre-paid chip and pin card every four weeks to spend on food from pregnancy until a child turns three.
28/3/2024
Critical Report By Audit Scotland - Moray Council Failing To Make Sufficient Progress
Moray Council must accelerate plans to transform how it works and delivers services, demonstrating it can sustain the pace and momentum to change. In a new report, the Accounts Commission says the council has been told in repeated reviews over the past 18 years that while it has made improvements, these have not been fast enough.
28/3/2024
Labour Market Outlook Q2 2024 - Happy 25th Birthday To The Minimum Wage
This year's minimum wage uprating is large: roughly 1.6 million workers stand to benefit directly on 1 April when the adult rate rises to £11.44 - giving a cash increase of 9.8 per cent and a real-terms increase of 7.8 per cent. These are the third largest annual increases in the minimum wage's history.
28/3/2024
Public Attitudes To The NHS And Social Care
A 2023 study on the British public's satisfaction with the NHS and social care services, and their views on NHS priorities, principles and funding from The Kings Fund. This report draws upon responses to the latest British Social Attitudes survey to explore public satisfaction with the NHS and social care.
28/3/2024
