Leatherjacket Numbers High – SRUC Warns the Hard Winter Has Not Stopped March of the Daddy-long-legs grubs! Leatherjacket populations in many of Scotland’s fields are exceptionally high this spring with a very real risk to spring sown cereal crops and grassland. According to the latest annual survey, carried out by Scotland’s Rural College in west and central Scotland between November last year and April 2013, population densities of crane fly larvae are at their fourth highest level since the survey started 38 years ago.
Latest figures from the annual oil and gas survey of international activity, published today, show a 5.8 per cent increase in total sales from the sector to reach £17.2 billion, with international sales rising by 8.4 per cent in 2011-12, reaching a record 47.6 per cent of total sales. Scottish companies now operate in over 100 markets across the world.
HIE’s 2012-13 end of year results, reviewed by Board members this week, reveal that the agency has met or exceeded its targets for increasing turnover and international sales for supported businesses and social enterprises. It also highlights the delivery of a wide range of ambitious projects which are making a real difference to the region’s economic and social sustainability.
The by-election for a councillor to serve the Landward Caithness Ward (No 4) on The Highland Council has been won by Mrs Gillian Coghill from Halkirk, who will join the Independent Group on the Council Mrs Coghill from Halkirk was one of four candidates, who contested the vacancy, created by the retiral of Robert Coghill in February. She joins Councillors David Bremner (Independent), Willie Mackay (Independent) and Alex MacLeod (Independent Nationalist) in representing Landward Caithness Ward.
Energy/ Business Services: As we continue to see positive interest in Caithness from the energy sector, I met this week with representatives from Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd, HIE and Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd to discuss feedback from recent contact and to agree the key messages we will continue to take to companies in the sector about the value of doing business in the north. Enabling Activities: Continuing work on developing our activities in support of skills this week: I met with local partners to discuss how we might best help people to understand and take advantage of some forthcoming opportunities in the “home-working” sector, where doing a range of skilled work from a home base can be an attractive option.
SCOTTISH AFFAIRS COMMITTEE LAUNCHES NEW INQUIRY INTO THE IMPACT OF THE BEDROOM TAX & OTHER CHANGES TO HOUSING BENEFIT IN SCOTLAND In 2011, the UK’s Coalition Government launched a programme of welfare reform, including reform of the Housing Benefits system. Changes to the housing benefit system announced by the Government include: - The introduction of the Housing Benefit Cap or “bedroom tax” which means a reduction in benefit for anyone with a “spare” bedroom - changes to how the rate of housing benefit is set; - changes to the way the Local Housing Allowance is set; - increasing non-dependent deductions; and - reforms to social housing.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (May, 1st) sold 814 store cattle & 49 OTM cattle. Bullocks (477) averaged 236.8p and sold to 304.1p per kg for a 370kg Limousin cross from Wester Tomloan, Ardclach, and £1,280 gross for a 600kg Charolais cross from Lower Gartally, Lewiston.
Tomorrow (Thursday 2 May 2013) voting begins in the Landward Caithness By-election with polling stations open their doors at 7am and remaining open for people to come and vote until 10pm. The electorate for the Ward is 8,546.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (April, 30th) sold 81 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (45) averaged 232.8p (+8.7p) and sold to 264p per kg and £1,734.60 gross.
Wick Sports Shop offers a wide range of Adidas F50 and Messi football products and clothing. But there is much more with Canterbury clothing and Nike mercurial footwear.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise would like to increase the number of people registered on their skills register so they can spread the word on job opportunities in North Scotland. It will also help greatly to attract large companies to come and invest in the local area! Go on, inspire investment and get job opportunities - register here: http://www.hie.co.uk/skillsregister.
Highland fishing communities are encouraged to apply for assistance from the European Fisheries Fund. The fund aims to help develop communities where fishing is in decline by supporting measures to build skills and knowledge and increase the capacity of local fishing communities and business networks through innovation, collaboration and diversification.
Police are appealing for information following reports of entry forced to an out building in the Caithness area. The incident took place in Spittal between 20:30 hours on Saturday 27th April 2013 and 19:00 hours on Sunday 28ths April 2013.
The keynote speaker at the ‘Closing the Gap’ event, to be held in the Eden Court Theatre on Tuesday 30th April 2013, will be one of the leading experts in the field. Sir Harry Burns, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, will give a wide-ranging speech on the subject at the conference, which is being organised jointly by NHS Highland and The Highland Council.
Bee farmers in Scotland, who have been hit by the bad weather, are to get Scottish Government help to restock their hives. Bee farmers estimate that around 4,000 colonies have been lost due to the prolonged winter weather and Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead announced today that up to £200,000 would be available to help with restocking costs.
General practitioners in Scotland will see 1.25 per cent uplift to the GMS contract, which includes a one per cent increase in salary, it was confirmed today. The increase is in line with the one per cent increase all other health workers will receive and will be paid from April 1, 2013.
Europe should opt to restrict the use of controversial pesticides by 2015 providing a breathing space to allow evidence gathering between now and then to prove or disprove they are harmful to bees. Scotland’s Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has written to the UK Government urging them to accept the restrictions on the use of neonicotinoids but not to implement them until further evidence is gathered.
The ban on open display of tobacco products in large shops and sales from self-service tobacco vending machines will come into effect tomorrow. The changes are part of a range of measures to improve health by reducing the number of people choosing to smoke, and comes into force a month after the launch of the Scottish Government Tobacco Control Strategy.
Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) today released official figures reporting personal and company insolvencies in Scotland for the fourth quarter of the financial year 2012-13. There were 3,472 personal insolvencies for the period, which includes bankruptcy awards and protected trust deeds, and this was a 9.9 per cent decrease on the previous quarter.
A £15 million fund to help develop deep-water wind turbine foundations in Scotland has been announced by Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, Fergus Ewing. The Scottish Innovative Foundation Technologies Fund will support the development of prototype foundations for offshore wind turbines sited in water depths greater than 30 metres.
