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.
The Scottish Government is ahead of schedule in delivering its ambitious targets in community and local ownership of renewable energy projects, Energy Minister, Fergus Ewing has confirmed. The Scottish Government’s 2020 Routemap for Renewable Energy has a target of generating 500 MW from community renewables by 2020.
Louise Bain Photography WHOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO OFFICAL OPENING OF MY NEW HIGH STREET STUDIO SPECIAL OFFERS AVAILABLE ON SAT 27th of April 12 - 4 34A High Street, Wick ( next to Sports Shop ) Come in store and book an appointment to be in with a chance of winning a Wonderful Prize ....... bookings already taken this week also included Digital Printing, Enlargements and Framing as well as Canvas Printing contact 07769 655 669 All will be revealed on Saturday ........
Caithness Chamber Of Commerce recently held a marketing business breakfast, sponsored by Navertech. The event was extremely well attended and highly informative.
POLICE are appealing for information from the public to assist them target those responsbile for rural thefts across the Highland area as part of OPERATION ENGAGE. Within the last few weeks, Police have noted an increase in the number of thefts in the more rural areas of the Highlands.
Week commencing 22 April 2013 Energy/ Business Services: Scrabster Harbour Trust has this week announced an agreement with NorSea Group, a major Norwegian oil & gas services company, that is expected will lead to major investment and new job prospects for the local economy. NorSea operates nine supply bases along the coast of Norway, but this will be its first Scottish base.
A new website has been launched this week by the Crown Estate to support industry collaboration in the emerging wave and tidal industry. The Wave and Tidal Knowledge Network will make it easier for organisations to share information with each other and help deliver industry growth.
Comunn na Gàidhlig (CnaG) has launched the 2013/14 Graduate Placement Scheme with funding available to assist four year-long placements. CnaG now wishes to hear from any Gaelic-speaking graduates who wish to apply for this year’s scheme.
Sutherland Brothers held another successful trade day at Assembly Rooms, Wick. The chance for suppliers and customers to meet each other was taken full advantage of and prizes were given to successful sales people at the end of the day.
Inverness selected as new global centre of excellence for advanced IT. Capgemini, one of the world's foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, is creating up to 500 new jobs in the Scottish Highlands as part of a plan that will see Inverness become one of the multinational company's prime global centres of excellence for advanced IT.
I f you want a bargain for beds or carpets then Jim's carpets or the Bedhouse in Thurso mighthavebeen one of the places to look. However Jim has seen what is happening online and is moving to provide bargains on his web site.
On a week when some local businesses announced they were closing, including well known shoe shop DE Shoes, and the last maker of refrigerators in the UK- Icetech Freezers of Castletown, a company that provides services for the Norwegian oil and gas industry is to open its first supply base in Scotland. NorSea Group, which operates nine sites in Norway, has signed an agreement with Scrabster Harbour Authority to set up a base in Caithness.
The Highland Council has agreed the process for recruiting a new Chief Executive, following the announcement by Alistair Dodds, Chief Executive, that he will retire on 31 August. The post, which carries a salary of £140,112, will be advertised on Friday 3 May with a closing date for applications on Friday 17 May.
A camera has delved into the depths of Dounreay’s famous dome and captured the first footage for over fifty years of Britain’s first Fast Breeder Reactor. Nitrogen cooled digital cameras have been inserted into the reactor and recorded the images of the internal structures and the breeder fuel matrix.
Trading Standards officers of The Highland Council Standards are warning householders to be on their guard if approached at their home and offered tarmacking. This follows reports being received that rogue traders are operating in the Dornoch area and are informing householders that they are in the area working for The Highland Council and have some tarmac left over.
