News Archive
12/11/2021
The Financial Ombudsman Service Finds Banks Are Failing To Follow Their Own Code
New data from the Financial Ombudsman Service shows banks cannot be trusted to interpret the voluntary CRM code fairly or treat customers in the right way. I, for one, do all my banking online.12/11/2021
Animal Transporters: Reminder To Renew Your Transporter Authorisation
Transporter authorisations are valid for 5 years, and a significant number are due for renewal in 2022. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is reminding all animal transporters to check the expiry date of their current transporter authorisation and apply for renewal at the earliest possible opportunity, to ensure continued authorisation.12/11/2021
Network Of Sharing Libraries And Repair Cafes
The Scottish Government is to help fund a new national network of community sharing libraries and repair cafes as part of a drive to reduce consumption and cut waste. Under the £310,000 reuse and repair scheme, funded jointly with Zero Waste Scotland, more resource libraries will be established across Scotland - a key recommendation of Scotland's Climate Assembly.12/11/2021
COP26: How Can Businesses Be Helped To Think About Their Environmental Responsibilities?
Institute Director Mairi Spowage is joined by Jonny Clark, Managing Director of ITP Energised, who provide advice to companies who are keen to decarbonise their operations and/or develop renewable energy developments. This is the first in a series of podcasts over the COP fortnight to highlight the role that different organisations and people can and will have in Scotland's journey to Net Zero, and was recorded on Tuesday 2nd November in the afternoon.
12/11/2021
Do Renewables Provide An Answer To Climate Policy Trade-offs?
With COP 26 coming to an end in Glasgow this week, the climate is firmly back on the international agenda and a step change is required to avoid the very worst impacts of climate change. Domestically, the UK and Scottish Governments have committed to net-zero targets by 2050 and 2045 respectively.
12/11/2021
GDP First Quarterly Estimate, UK: July To September 2021
UK gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have increased by 1.3% in Quarter 3 (Jul to Sept) 2021 following the continued easing of coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions. In output terms, the largest contributors to this increase were from hospitality, arts and recreation and health following the further easing of restrictions and reopening of the economy.11/11/2021
Dounreay Collaborates With University To Inspire A Culture Of Innovation
DSRL, the University of the Highlands and Islands and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) have collaborated to develop an innovation workshop for some of Dounreay's future talent. Dounreay was a former nuclear research centre for 50 years, and now wishes to trial innovative ideas as it decommissions, by challenging conventional methods and bringing in ideas from other industries.
11/11/2021
Highland Council Invites Applications For New Nature Restoration Fund
The Highland Council is inviting communities to apply for a share of a new fund to support nature restoration projects. The Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) is a new capital fund, established by the Scottish Government, designed to help support projects that will deliver nature restoration, safeguard wildlife, and tackle the causes of biodiversity loss due to climate change.11/11/2021
Environmental Health Work Commended During ‘Challenging Year'
The work of The Highland Council's Environmental Health Team has been commended by Members of the Council's Communities and Place Committee. A report to Councillors this week has highlighted that the Environmental Health Team responded during COVID-19 in 2020/21 by investigating almost 1000 clusters and outbreaks.11/11/2021
Councillors Updated On Waste Infrastructure Projects
An update on waste management projects was presented to Members of The Highland Council's Communities and Place Committee on 10 November 2021. The Council is undertaking a number of projects aimed at meeting its responsibilities for disposal of waste collected from around 110,000 households and 5,800 businesses.11/11/2021
£219,000 Renewal Funds Agreed For Local Play Parks
Members of The Highland Council's Communities and Place Committee have agreed that a strategy for play parks across the region will be developed from local plans and local investment priorities within the overall aims of play parks. The main aims are being safe, inclusive in design and in use and for play areas to be environmentally and financially sustainable.11/11/2021
Coronavirus (covid-19): Daily Data For Scotland - 11 November 2021
3,340 new cases of COVID-19 reported. 42,983 new tests for COVID-19 that reported results 8.2% of these were positive.11/11/2021
Nursing Saff Have Voted In Our Indicative Ballot On Industrial Action
Almost 30% of RCN members working in the NHS in Scotland responded to the ballot that closed on Monday (8 November 2021). Of those, 90% said they would be willing to take industrial action short of strike.11/11/2021
Fusion Energy At COP26: Gamechanger For Our Global Energy Future
Fusion energy included in UN dialogue and deliberations for the first time. Fusion energy promises a step change in the way the world's future energy demands are met in a low-carbon, safe and sustainable way.
11/11/2021
New Rules Put Savers' Interests First
Plans to protect small pension pots from being eroded by charges will be introduced next year. Hundreds of thousands of people will benefit from the new rules outlined by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) (Tuesday 9 November 2021), which will introduce a threshold at which pensions providers will no longer be able to charge a flat fee to savers.11/11/2021
795,300 People Filed A Tax Return In Scotland Last Year
More than 10.7 million customers completed their 2019/20 tax return by 31 January 2021 and 795,300 were from Scotland, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) can reveal. The deadline to complete the 2020/21 Self Assessment tax return is 31 January 2022.11/11/2021
Labour MSP hits back at lack of ferry funding
Transport Minister Graeme Dey MSP did nothing to allay concerns from Hebridean communities about the current threat to their 2022 Summer ferry service following initial questioning by Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant and SNPs Alasdair Allan on Thursday. It was revealed this week that CalMac are being forced to consult on a reduction to their 2022 ferry timetable in both Harris and Lochmaddy due to a significant lack of resource from Scottish Government.11/11/2021
Major New Vision Proposed For Inverness
A bold and ambitious strategy to transform Inverness into the place to live, work, enjoy and do business in Scotland will be presented to the City of Inverness Area Committee next week. The report highlights the major investment the city centre and its surrounding 20-minute neighbourhoods is currently benefitting from.
11/11/2021
Action On Single-use Plastic
Scotland first UK nation to pursue ban on some of the most problematic products. Legislation has been laid that will see Scotland ban some of the most environmentally damaging single-use plastic items, with the ban coming into effect on 1 June 2022.11/11/2021
