Local communities across Scotland will be supported to take climate action in their areas through a new nationwide network of Climate Action Hubs. This follows the success of two pathfinder hubs in the North East and the Highlands, which helped to widen participation in climate action and have supported a range of projects, including on local energy and flood mitigation.
The Scottish Government needs to be clearer about how long it will take the NHS to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and to reform services. The government's NHS recovery plan aims to reduce the healthcare backlog and change how services are delivered.
A report by the Fraser of Allender Institute lays out the history and what maybe to come with the Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland. The Scottish Government is introducing a new scheme aimed at improving recycling rates and reducing emissions associated with bottled and canned drinks.
Office for Budget Responsibility predicts the UK will avoid recession in 2023. Size of the economy predicted to shrink by 0.2% this year, before growing by 1.8% next year, 2.5% in 2025 and 2.1% in 2026.
A report from the Fraser of Allender Institute. Why should we pay attention to economic inactivity? Inactivity is an indicator of the state of the labour market that measures how much of the population is not in work and is not ready to start work in the near future.
More than four million struggling households are set to save £45 a year on energy bills from 1 July 2023. This will happen by bringing prepayment energy charges in line with customers who pay by direct debit.
This is the Spring Budget 2023 in full. You can find supporting and related documents below.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has described the UK Government's Spring Budget statement as "another missed opportunity" to help households, businesses and public services through the cost of living crisis. He said Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt had failed to deploy the full range of powers available to him to mitigate the impact of soaring energy prices and high inflation.
The British and German fighters escorted a Russian IL78 Midas air-to-air refuelling aircraft, which was not responding to communications, near Estonian airspace. A Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jet operating from Ämari Air Base in Estonia has carried out the first joint NATO Air Policing interception alongside a German Air Force Typhoon.
Five Lakes College students recently completed a work experience placement at the Civil Nuclear Constabulary's Griffin Park Tactical Training Facility. While at Griffin Park, which has the biggest 360-degree live fire range in Europe, students were able to get experience of dog handling, first aid training and maintaining and cleaning weapons.
CMA investigation finds Asda's purchase of 132 petrol stations and attached grocery stores from the Co-op could mean higher prices or less choice for motorists or shoppers in 13 areas. In January 2023, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened a Phase 1 investigation into the completed acquisition by Asda of Arthur Foodstores Limited, a company set up by Co-op to sell its 132 petrol forecourt sites.
Crofters across Scotland will be able to apply for larger sums of money to upgrade their housing under the Croft House Grant. To help ensure more crofters and their families can benefit, the government is increasing the grant rate for home improvements from 40% to 60% of the total project cost - with a maximum grant of £38,000.
In Britain, people imagine poverty as mainly an urban phenomenon. We think of poverty as rundown housing estates or tower blocks, far from the idyllic countryside scenes of shows like Escape to the Country.
A former prime minister of Britain, Harold Wilson, is famous for remarking that a week is a long time in politics. But in the world of finance, it seems everything can change in just two days.
UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt's spring budget is a tricky one in terms of timing. Having announced a set of steadying measures in the autumn statement after the Truss/Kwarteng debacle, this budget is likely to be the last but one before a 2024 general election.
Maps of the Council's gritting routes by priority and policy are available online at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting . The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time.
For the three months ending January 2023, the highest employment rate estimate in the UK was in the South West (79.9%) and the lowest were in both the North East and Northern Ireland (71.8%). The largest increase in the employment rate compared with the same period last year was in Northern Ireland, up by 3.1 percentage points, with Wales seeing the largest decrease of 2.0 percentage points.
The value of imports into the UK tumbled by 8.7% in January and exports also fell by 1.8%. Britain's trade with the EU saw the steepest fall.
Main points for November 2022 to January 2023 Growth in average total pay (including bonuses) was 5.7% and growth in regular pay (excluding bonuses) was 6.5% among employees in November 2022 to January 2023. Total pay growth remained smaller than regular pay growth in November 2022 to January 2023 because of bonuses.
The increased cost of living, from food prices to energy costs, is expected to drive many more households into poverty or destitution. Charities define destitution as being unable to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and heating.
