News Archive
14/9/2024
Change of Direction For Future Of Thor House In Thurso
Following a process of review, including extensive stakeholder engagement, The Highland Council has completed an options appraisal on the future of Thor House in Thurso. The Council can now confirm that it intends to reinstate the property as a short break house for children with disability.
14/9/2024
Dingwall And Highlands Marts Ltd - Lamb Sale 13 September 2024
DINGWALL., Dingwall and Highlands Marts Ltd., (September 13th) sold 6,578 store lambs. Blackface wedder lambs (4,952) averaged £53.92 (up £10.44 on the year) sold to £93 from 12A Achnacloich, Sleat.
14/9/2024
Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report Highlights Severe Shortage Of Social Workers
The annual report by the Chief Social Work Officer will be discussed by Highland councillors on Thursday 19 September 2024. Part of the report highlights the issues surrounding the high level of vacancies in Social Work in Highland region.
14/9/2024
Electricity Cable Connecting Orkney To Caithness - Contracts Awarded As Orkney-Caithness Link Project Gathers Pace
SSEN Transmission is delighted to announce that contracts have been signed with the Siemens Energy and BAM Joint Venture, Nexans and RJ McLeod for key elements of the construction of the Orkney-Caithness 220kV link, connecting Orkney to the Scottish mainland for the first time. Construction is set to get underway this month.14/9/2024
At 60, The Sun Hasn't Set - But The Tabloid's Light Is Fading and Local Papers Decline Continues
"The British public believe it is time for a new newspaper, born of the age we live in. That is why the Sun rises brightly today." So declared the front page of the Sun on September 15 1964.
14/9/2024
Some Pensioners Are Pretty Well Off - But How Many Can Afford To Lose The Winter Fuel Payment?
The government's plan to restrict pensioners' winter fuel payment to households getting pension credit has been easily if grudgingly passed by parliament. This was despite a strong case for delaying the move to explore better ways to target the money and to improve take-up of pension credit (which will now be the benchmark for qualifying for the payment).14/9/2024
Easement Of Import Checks On Medium-risk Fruit And Veg Extended
The products will not be subject to import checks at the GB border until next year. The UK government has on 13 September 2024 extended the easement of import checks on medium-risk fruit and vegetables imported from the EU from January 2025 to 1 July 2025.
14/9/2024
Understanding Quantitative Easing - QE - Richard Murphy
QE was and always will be, a sham to disguise the fact that a central bank is lending money to the government that owns it. In this video, I explain the ins and outs and costs of this ridiculous denial of the truth.
14/9/2024
DWP Warning Big Changes Coming To Tackle Out Of Work
The plans hopes to overturn the escalating levels of economic inactivity as the UK is still the only G7 country where employment rates have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. According to the Department of Work and Pensions data, roughly 22 percent of people are not currently working which equates to around 9.4 million people.
14/9/2024
Not Only Pensioners Lose Heating Allowance - So Do 1.5 Million Disabled People
The Big Issue has highlighted other changes not just heating allowance in an article. Since the election of the Labour government in July there has been something of a change in tone when it comes to social security and disability.13/9/2024
Royal Navy and RAF shadow Russian ships and intercept Russian aircraft to protect UK national security
HMS Iron Duke and HMS Tyne shadowed four Russian vessels in UK waters and RAF jets intercepted a Russian Bear aircraft approaching the UK area of interest. Royal Navy warships have spent the past week closely shadowing the Russian Navy as four of its vessels sailed through the Channel and the North Sea, helping to protect UK national security.
13/9/2024
Highland Council Education Committee Supports Recommendation For Youth Work And Adult Learning Transfer And The Financial Position Of Highlife Highland
At the Education Committee today (Thursday 12 September 2024) Members agreed to the recommendation to transfer Youth Work and Adult Learning to the Council from High Life Highland. The final contract review report will come to the Committee in November 2024 for consideration.13/9/2024
Raising Revenue From Reforms To Pensions Taxation
Recent weeks have seen speculation that the new Chancellor will make changes to pensions taxation to raise revenue in the upcoming inaugural Budget. The current system of pensions tax provides overly generous tax breaks to those with the biggest pensions, those with high retirement incomes and those receiving big employer pension contributions, and there is a strong case for reform.13/9/2024
Yet Another Delay For The Glen Sannox Ferry Saga
A letter to Edward Mountain MSP on 12 September 2024 with another reason why the ferry Glen Sannox will not be delivered in September. I am writing to you to provide an interim update to our quarterly report, specifically for MV Glen Sannox.
13/9/2024
NDA Publishes First Ever Nuclear Heritage Strategy
NDA publishes first ever nuclear heritage vision and strategy, to safeguard and celebrate the history of the nuclear industry. Today the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has published the first ever nuclear heritage vision and strategy, to safeguard and celebrate the history and cultural heritage of the nuclear industry.
13/9/2024
Private Pensions For The Self-employed - Challenges And Options For Reform
How well prepared for retirement are self-employed workers and what options do policymakers have to encourage more pension saving?. There have been widespread concerns about the patterns of retirement saving amongst self-employed workers, who now make up just over one in eight of the whole labour force.13/9/2024
Student Visas Down By A Sixth Will Cause Challenges For Some Universities
Home Office statistics released today show there were 17.1% (25,200) fewer applications for visas to study in the UK in August than in the same month last year. This continues the trend seen over recent months, with 16.6% (55,500) fewer total applications in the year to date than at the same point in 2023.
13/9/2024
Building Blocks - Assessing The Role Of Planning Reform In Meeting The Government's Housing Targets
The UK Government has prioritised planning reform as its key policy lever to deliver an ambitious target of 1.5 million additional homes by the end of this Parliament. This note explores the extent to which the proposed reforms to the planning system will help reach this target, while also highlighting other constraints on housing supply that the Government should consider as part of its broader strategy to kickstart housing delivery.13/9/2024
Government Won't Hit Ambitious Housing Targets Without Direct Public Investment In New Homes
The Government's welcome planning reforms could deliver a step change in housebuilding over the parliament. But it will need to bolster these reforms with direct investment if it is to meet its target of creating 1.5 million more homes over the parliament, according to new Resolution Foundation research published Thursday 12 September 2024.13/9/2024
