News Archive
25/3/2022
Investing In The Food And Drink Sector - Supporting Growth And Innovation
Food and drink businesses across Scotland will benefit from a share of more than £7.3 million to increase production, expand storage facilities and purchase new equipment. A total of 29 businesses, large and small, will receive grants ranging from £1,047 to £1.4m from the Food Processing, Marketing and Cooperation (FPMC) grant scheme.25/3/2022
Support For Ukrainians In Scotland
People who ordinarily live in Ukraine will be able to access NHS services at no charge on the same basis as people living in Scotland. An amendment to current legislation will ensure that people who have fled Ukraine can access services such as maternity care, mental health services and treatment for specific conditions at no charge while they remain here.25/3/2022
Green Freeports Prospectus Published
A guide has been published for bidders who want to establish a Green Freeport in Scotland. The joint prospectus, published in partnership by the Scottish and UK Governments, underlines the Scottish Government's commitment to Fair Work First criteria, including payment of the real Living Wage, and invites bidders to reflect that in setting out their fair work strategies.25/3/2022
Water Safety Action Plan
Extra funding, improved signs and lesson plans for pupils are all part of a new Water Safety Action Plan. The plan has been drawn up by the Scottish Government and a range of key organisations following a number of tragic water deaths.24/3/2022
Spring Statement 2022 - Personal Tax
At the Spring Statement 2022, the Chancellor announced measures related to National Insurance contributions (NICs) and income tax. As announced at the Spring Statement 2022, the government is raising the level at which people start to pay National Insurance contributions, increasing the annual National Insurance Primary Threshold and Lower Profits Limit from £9,880 to £12,570 from July 2022.
24/3/2022
Spring Statement 2022 - Business Support
A list of the Spring Statement 2021 measures that will benefit UK businesses. The Chancellor announced a series of measures to support businesses at Spring Statement 2021, building on measures announced at at Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021.
24/3/2022
Government support for the cost of living
The government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living. These are global challenges, but the government has taken action to support families worth over £22 billion in 2022-23 to help.24/3/2022
Temporary Cut To Fuel Duty
The Government is cutting fuel duty for petrol and diesel by 5 pence per litre across the whole of the UK for 12 months, taking effect from 6pm on the 23rd March 2022. Unique circumstances globally, including the war in Ukraine, have pushed pump prices up to unprecedented levels.24/3/2022
UK Government Spring Statement Tax Plan
My vision for a lower tax economy As part of Spring Statement 2022 I set out the government's Tax Plan. This three-part plan to strengthen our economy covers the remainder of the Parliament.24/3/2022
Jam Tomorrow - Mini-budget Is A Mixed Bag For SME Businesses
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, has delivered a ‘jam tomorrow' budget for Britain’s thousands of SME businesses, says the international delivery specialist ParcelHero. ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks M.I.L.T., says: ‘There’s no doubt that some of the measures the Chancellor has announced will eventually make consumers more comfortable about spending money again.24/3/2022
Coronavirus (covid-19): Daily Data For Scotland - 24 March 2022 - Deaths In Scotland Higher Again
13,564 new cases of COVID-19 reported. 50 new reported deaths of people who have tested positive.24/3/2022
Chancellor announces tax cuts to support families with cost of living
The Chancellor delivered a Spring Statement today that puts billions of pounds back into the pockets of hard-working people - unveiling a new Tax Plan to ease the rising cost of living and to deliver the biggest cut to personal taxes in a quarter of a century. Chancellor announces tax cut for nearly 30 million UK workers through rise in National Insurance thresholds - saving the typical employee over £330 in the year from July.
24/3/2022
Labour responds to Rishi Sunak's Spring Budget
Labour's shadow chancellor has responded to Rishi Sunak's Spring Budget announcement. Labour's shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has hit out at Rishi Sunak’s Spring Budget announcement for not supporting those living in poverty.24/3/2022
Relief For Workers Will Quickly Evaporate
Dr Gordon Fletcher, retail and business expert at the University of Salford Business School, said the challenges being faced in the UK economy now were being felt before the war in Ukraine began. He said: "Reductions in the fuel duty and possibly in income tax as well as an increase in the NIC threshold appear to give some relief to workers.24/3/2022
Scottish Secretary Responds To Chancellor's Spring Statement
Alister Jack welcomes measures to ease the rising cost of living, cut tax for lower earners and reduce fuel duty. Commenting on today's Spring Statement, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: Measures announced by the Chancellor will help address the big issues facing people in Scotland and right across the UK.
24/3/2022
Spring Statement 2022 - An initial response from IFS researchers 
Spring Statement 2022 - An initial response from IFS researchers Weds 23 March 2022. IFS Director Paul Johnson form the Institute for fiscal Studies said: "There are two paradoxes at the heart of today's statement.
24/3/2022
Sharp Jump In Inflation Offers Foretaste Of The Huge Income Squeeze Coming This Year
Commenting on the latest ONS Prices data, which showed that CPI inflation increased by 6.2 per cent in February. Thisis up from 5.5 per cent in January, while CPIH increased by 5.5 per cent, Jack Leslie, Senior Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said:"Another sharp rise in inflation last month offers a foretaste of the huge income squeeze coming this year, with inflation likely to hit at least 8 per cent this spring - which could be the highest it's been in 40 years – along with a second spike this autumn.24/3/2022
System Pressures Due to Covid Remain Across NHS Highland
There continues to be high levels of COVID-19 across the Highlands and Argyll and Bute and we are therefore continuing to experience significant system pressures across the Board area. There are also extremely high numbers of inpatients with COVD-19 being cared for in our hospitals and there are a number of outbreaks within some of our hospitals and across care home settings.24/3/2022
Urgent - Events Industry Support Fund 3 - Event Recovery - Closes 31 March
Applications will open at 12pm on 24 March 2022 and close at 5pm on 31 March 2022. What does this involve? The application form will be available from Thursday 24 March, with guidance available now.24/3/2022
