News Archive
23/8/2024
As Aircraft Flights Are Rising Why Are Aviation Fuels Still Exempt From Taxes
The question of why no tax applies to aviation fuels similar to Fuels for land based transport still hangs around. The problem has been looked at on several occasions.23/8/2024
Unison Recommends NHS Staff Accept 5.5% Pay Offer
Following months of delays Scottish Government have finally made an offer on NHS pay for staff within the Agenda for Change pay scales. The offer is a straightforward 5.5% increase on pay.23/8/2024
Creative Scotland Suspends Some Grant Programmes Due To Scottish Government Uncertainty
Creative Scotland has taken the difficult decision to close the Open Fund for Individuals to new applications due to the Scottish Government being unable to confirm release of £6.6m in Grant-in-Aid budget in the current financial year, 2024-25. The Fund will close to new applications from 2pm on Friday 30th August 2024.22/8/2024
£2.5 Million For Satellite Data Pilots To Benefit Citizens And Businesses
Ten projects have been awarded £2.5 million as part of the UK Space Agency's Unlocking Space for Business programme. The pilot projects, which have been awarded grants of up to £400,000 each, will trial new solutions that use satellite data and services to support transport, logistics and financial services.
22/8/2024
Business Insights And Impact On The UK Economy - 22 August 2024
More than 1 in 5 (23%) trading businesses reported that their turnover had decreased in July 2024 compared with June 2024, 16% reported an increase, while 53% reported no change; these figures are all broadly stable from last month. Approximately 1 in 6 (17%) trading businesses expect their turnover to increase in September 2024, with 58% expecting turnover to stay the same, up 3 and 2 percentage points, respectively, on expectations for August 2024; while 13% expect turnover to fall, down 3 percentage points over the same period.22/8/2024
Economic Activity And Social Change In The UK Real-time Indicator - 22 August 2024 - Scottish Job Ads Plummet
The number of transactions at Pret A Manger stores decreased in 7 of the 10 location categories monitored in the week to 8 August 2024; the largest decrease was seen in Manchester stores, falling by 9% when compared with the previous week (Pret A Manger). Section 3: Consumer behaviour.
22/8/2024
Rachel Reeves Planning To Raise Taxes And Cut Spending In October Budget
Chancellor insists she still has large black hole to fill despite stronger-than-expected growth in first half of 2024. Rachel Reeves is planning to raise taxes, cut spending and get tough on benefits in October's budget amid Treasury alarm that the pickup in the economy has failed to improve the poor state of the public finances.22/8/2024
Big Drop In Work Applications From Abroad For Nhs And Social Care And Student Family Restrictions
From 11 March 2024, social care workers arriving from overseas are no longer allowed to bring dependants (that is, partners and children) on their visa. From 4 April 2024, the baseline general salary to be sponsored for a ‘Skilled Worker' visa increased from £26,200 to £38,700, while the ‘going rate' minimum salary specific to each job has also gone up significantly.22/8/2024
New Controls On Sheep And Goat Products To Protect Against Peste Des Petits Ruminants (ppr)
Strict new controls suspending personal imports of certain sheep and goat commodities, such as meat, cheese and milk products, have been announced on 21 August 2024. Strict new controls suspending personal imports of certain sheep and goat commodities, such as meat, cheese and milk products, have been announced today (21 August) to safeguard Britain's sheep and goat populations from outbreaks of peste des petits ruminants (PPR).22/8/2024
Huge Drop In Uk Visa Applications
Figure 1 shows that monthly numbers of Health and Care Worker visa applications from main applicants increased from 4,100 to 18,300 between February 2022 and August 2023, following the addition of care workers to the skilled worker visa. Applications have decreased since August 2023, falling to 2,900 in July 2024.
22/8/2024
Young People Not In Education, Employment Or Training NEET UK August 2024
Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates have been weighted to population estimates published in November 2023 for periods from July to September 2022; a discontinuity has been introduced at this point, so comparisons before this point are not possible. Increased volatility of LFS estimates, resulting from smaller achieved sample sizes, means that estimates of quarterly change should be treated with additional caution.
22/8/2024
Students Urged To Protect Themselves From Deadly Meningitis
The UK Health Security Agency is encouraging students to make the healthiest start to their studies possible. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is reminding all higher education and university students - freshers and returning students – to make sure they are up to date with their free NHS childhood and adolescent vaccines against meningitis, measles and HPV ahead of starting the new academic year.22/8/2024
The Medicines And Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency Has Today 22 August 2024
Lecanemab is the first treatment for Alzheimer's disease licensed for use in Great Britain that shows some evidence of efficacy in slowing progression of the disease. As for any new medicine, this decision was made with expert scientific advice on the benefit risk of lecanemab from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), the government's independent advisory body.
22/8/2024
Improving Online Connectivity In Scotland
4G programme brings benefits to thousands of rural homes and businesses. A Scottish Government programme to install 55 4G mobile phone masts in rural and island communities has improved home life, work life and business performance, according to new analysis.22/8/2024
Improving Cancer Care - Funding For Projects To Benefit Patients And Clinical Staff
A total of £1.5 million funding in 2024-25 is supporting 12 projects to continue providing direct and personalised support to patients with cancer. The Single Point of Contact (SPoC) pilots provide patients with ongoing contact to support them, putting them at the heart of all decisions and actions involving them throughout their care journey.22/8/2024
Views Sought On Single-use Cup Charge - Consultation To Tackle Throwaway Culture
People across Scotland are being asked to have their say on a minimum charge for single-use cups to promote responsible consumption and cut waste. The Scottish Government is consulting on the possible introduction of a 25p charge to all single-use drinks cups when a drink is bought, regardless of material.21/8/2024
Military Silent Hangar To Help Protect Against Foreign Gps Jamming
A new test facility, one of the largest in Europe, will help military kit to be better protected from attempts to jam GPS devices. The facility will provide a key capability to develop UK assets that can perform in the harshest electromagnetic environments on operations.
21/8/2024
Extending Carer Support Payment
Scottish benefit for carers now available in seven more council areas. Thousands more unpaid carers in Scotland can apply for a new benefit.21/8/2024
Afghan Medical Students Arrive Safely In Scotland
Nineteen female Afghan medical students have arrived in Scotland after they were banned from completing their studies by the authorities in Afghanistan. The Scottish Government amended student funding legislation to ensure the women could be treated as home students and receive free tuition and cost of living support.21/8/2024
