News Archive
15/2/2024
UK To Supply Thousands Of Drones As Co-leader Of Major International Capability Coalition For Ukraine
The UK and Latvia will jointly lead a capability coalition, which will see thousands of drones supplied to Ukraine, including first-person view (FPV) drones, which have proven highly effective on the battlefield. Ukraine will receive thousands more drones as Defence Secretary Grant Shapps announces today that the UK will co-lead a major drone capability coalition with Latvia for Ukraine.15/2/2024
Call For Radical Refocusing Of Health And Care System To Put Primary And Community Services At Its Core
A Kings fund report published on 13 February 2024. Although the focus is on England there are many similar issues for Scotland's Health Services.15/2/2024
UK House Price Index - December 2023
Monthly house price inflation in the UK, calculated using data from HM Land Registry, Registers of Scotland, and Land and Property Services Northern Ireland. Average UK house prices decreased by 1.4% in the 12 months to December 2023 (provisional estimate), up from a decrease of 2.3% (revised estimate) in the 12 months to November 2023.
15/2/2024
UK Trade - December 2023
The value of goods imports decreased by £2.6 billion (5.4%) in December 2023, with falls in imports from both EU and non-EU countries, primarily driven by decreased imports of fuels. The value of goods exports decreased by £0.7 billion (2.2%) in December 2023, because of lower exports to the EU.
15/2/2024
Post Office Scandal - The Full Story So Far
The video from the Good Morning Britain show sets out the basics so far..
15/2/2024
UKAEA And CNL Partner To Accelerate Fusion Energy Development
Agreement complements the signing on 14 February 2024 of a Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Canada reflecting a new partnership on fusion energy. The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), have signed a collaboration framework agreement to partner on the development of technologies in relation to the management of tritium, a fusion energy fuel.
15/2/2024
Collapse In Nursing Course Applicants In Scotland - Nursing Shortages May Get Worse Without Action
Emergency measures are needed in next month's budget following a ‘collapse' in nursing course applicants, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned. The RCN has urged the government to use its spring budget on 6 March to introduce an emergency package of measures to boost nurse recruitment, after figures from the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) showed a further drop in applicants to nursing courses for the next academic year.15/2/2024
John Lamont Puts Focus On Farming Innovation On Se Scotland Visit
Scotland Office Minister sees how £21 million UK Gov investment will benefit Digital Dairy Chain at Scotland's Rural College and meets team at Monitor Farm. Scotland Office Minister John Lamont has been visiting parts of Dumfries and Galloway looking at how digital innovation funded by more than £21 million of UK Government investment is helping to grow the rural economy.
15/2/2024
BBC Radio Scotland Mornings Programme With Stephen Jardine - Does Living Outside The Central Belt Of Scotland Leave You Feeling Ignored
The programme today highlighted many rural issues in Scotland Caithness had several mentions. The programme also mentioned the resignation from the SNP of local Caithness councillor Karl Rosie.
15/2/2024
Government Actuary Department Developing AI Skills
GAD is working with an AI partner to investigate fine tuning a large language model to perform quality assurance checks on pension administrator calculations. We are working with an artificial intelligence (AI) specialist company to develop coding to perform quality assurance (QA) checks on pension administrators' calculations.14/2/2024
Train Services Between Inverness And Wick/Thurso Cancelled Today 14 February
Inverness to Wick terminated at Invergordon. It will no longer call at Fearn, Tain, Ardgay, Culrain, Invershin, Lairg, Rogart, Golspie, Brora, Helmsdale, Kildonan, Kinbrace, Forsinard, Scotscalder, Georgemas Junction (from Inverness at 22:10), Thurso, Georgemas Junction (towards Wick at 22:35) and Wick.14/2/2024
Wick's Community Heating Scheme Expands To Bring Low Cost Heating to More Homes
Wilson Energy Helps Double the Size of Wick's Community Heating Scheme. Midlands-based WilSon Energy, a leading provider of fully integrated heating, metering, pre-payment and billing and bureau services for residential homes and commercial developments, has helped to reduce fuel costs for tenants and boost sustainability by doubling the size of a district heating system in a Scottish town.
14/2/2024
Consumer Price Inflation, UK - January 2024 - No change from December Still 4%
The Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers' housing costs (CPIH) rose by 4.2% in the 12 months to January 2024, the same rate as in December 2023. On a monthly basis, CPIH fell by 0.4% in January 2024, the same rate as in January 2023.
14/2/2024
The Stark Reality In BMJ Article NHS Scotland Is Treating Fewer Patients Than Before The Pandemic Despite Boost To Staff And Funding-
The health service in Scotland has more doctors, nurses, and more money than before the pandemic but is treating substantially fewer patients, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned. If the problem of poor productivity is not tackled, people in Scotland could face deteriorating services, it said.14/2/2024
Valentine's Proposals In Scotland - I Do...want A Pre-nuptial Agreement
Gen Z and millennials in Scotland say "I do" to pre-nuptial agreements (PNAs) and how much you earn is no longer a factor according to research conducted by YouGov in partnership with Payne Hicks Beach. 73% of Gen Z and millennials in Scotland think that PNAs are a practical and wise decision.
14/2/2024
Rising Sickness Holds Back Return To Pre-pandemic Employment Levels, But Real Wages Enjoy A Mini-revival
A record number of people who are economically inactive due to ill-health mean that Britain remains the only G7 economy yet to return to pre-pandemic employment levels, but fast falling inflation means that real wages are growing at their fastest rate outside the pandemic in nearly five years, the Resolution Foundation said on Tuesday 13 February 2024. The latest ONS labour market statistics - including the return of the labour force survey after a four month absence - showed a cooling labour market, an-inflation driven boost to real pay packets, and rising long-term sickness continuing to hold back growth.14/2/2024
A Deep Dive Into The Latest Labour Market Statistics
Today (13 February 2024) marks an important milestone for labour market wonks. After being deprived of a full labour market release since early autumn due to data issues around one of the ONS' core surveys, this morning we got (almost) the full set of labour market data up to the end of 2023.
14/2/2024
It Is Too Cheap And Easy To Set Up UK Companies
An article in the Financial Times on 12 February 2024 describes the situation for registering companies in the UK. Bank robbers go where the money is.14/2/2024
Love It Or Loathe It, It's Valentine's Day - A Decent Excuse To Show You 19 Moneysaving Ways To Take Advantage Of Being In A Couple
Tips on how to save money abound on Money Saving Expert. Today their latest tips list for Valentines Day may well be worth a read with 19 suggestions for couples you may find one or two well worth reading.14/2/2024
