News Archive

What Is The Budget? - An Explanation

The Chancellor will deliver the Budget on 30 October 2024 and the government will later introduce a Finance Bill to implement it.   This Insight looks at what differentiates a ‘Budget' from other fiscal statements the government has delivered recently, and an overview of what happens during and following the Budget.  

New National Quantum Laboratory To Open Up Access To Quantum Computing, Unleashing A Revolution In AI, Energy, Healthcare And More

Newly opened National Quantum Computing Centre will be home to new quantum computers, designed to push the boundaries of what is possible with the technology.   Newly-opened National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) will help deliver breakthroughs in AI, energy, healthcare and more the new facility at Harwell will be home to 12 quantum computers, each designed to push the boundaries of what is possible with this emerging technology.  

Major Defence Reforms Launched, With New National Armaments Director To Tackle Waste And Boost Industry

The biggest reform of the Ministry of Defence in over 50 years to fix what the Public Accounts Committee calls the ‘broken' defence procurement system and to strengthen UK Defence, has been launched by the Defence Secretary.   Major reforms kicked off today to match increasing threats, tackle waste and strengthen UK Defence.  

Viral Respiratory Diseases (including Influenza And Covid-19) In Scotland Surveillance Report

Overall assessment 14 October to 20 October (ISO week 42): Calls to NHS24 for respiratory symptoms and patient attendances to GP practices for influenza-like illness and acute respiratory infection are at low levels, usual for this time of year.   Influenza A test positivity in the community (CARI) surveillance system and in laboratory confirmed tests remained stable this week.  

New Protections From Sexual Harassment Come Into Force

Employers now have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment and create a safe working environment.   New duty under the Equality Act 2010 will require employers to take "reasonable steps" to prevent sexual harassment of their employees.  

Subcontracting Is The Curse Of The Modern Economy - Richard Murphy

The UK economy is now a mess built on the foundations of everyone sub-contracting everything they can whenever they think that possible.   The result is that we have an economy made up of middlemen, all of them raking off their own bit of profit.  

Agricultural Census Statistics - June 2024

The June Agricultural Census 2024 shows a drop in the numbers of livestock in Scotland with the long-term trend in declining cattle numbers continuing.   In 2024, there were 1.67 million cattle, a decrease of 2.4% when compared with the five year average (2019-2023) and a decrease of 0.9% when compared with 2023.  

The Future Of Foster Care

People are being encouraged to share their views on plans for the future of foster care in Scotland.   The consultation, which will help ensure foster care is fit for the future, sets out proposals including more peer support opportunities, and using foster carers to facilitate family time with parents and siblings of children in foster care.  

Companies House Publishes First Strategic Intelligence Assessment

Analysis aims to help agency's understanding of the key threats and guide approach to tackling them.   Companies House has today published its first ever strategic intelligence assessment as the agency steps up its work to help tackle economic crime.  

Union Fury As Scottish Government Kicks Sectoral Bargaining Can Down The Road

MORE Scottish government delays on sectoral bargaining for tens of thousands of social care workers "stinks of kicking the can down the road," unions warned yesterday.   Despite the policy having been adopted by the Scottish government as part of the Fair Work in Social Care initiative with unions, five years on it stands undelivered.