News Archive

Monthly Economic Brief - February 2021 - Overview

Extract from the Monthly Economic Brief of Scottish Government Office of the Chief Economic Adviser Gary Gillespie - Chief Economist.   Overview This edition of the Monthly Economic Brief provides an update on the Scottish economy during the final quarter of 2020 and into the start of the new year.  

Quarantine Hotels To Start In Scotland - Travellers To Pay Hotel Bills

All arrivals to Scotland from outside the Common Travel Area must book and pay for managed isolation in quarantine hotels to help protect against the importation of Coronavirus (COVID-19) from 15 February.   Six hotels close to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports with a combined capacity of 1,300 rooms will be used to implement the quarantine at a cost of £1,750 per individual traveller.  

New Quarantine and Testing For Travellers Arriving in England

Statement by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the new system of health measures at the border that will come into force on Monday 15 February.   Mr Speaker, with permission, I'd like to make a statement on new measures to keep this country safe from coronavirus.  

Scottish Independence Referendum: Why The Economic Issues Are Quite Different To 2014

Independence has returned to the top of the agenda in Scotland after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon signalled that her Scottish National Party (SNP) will hold a consultative second referendum after the May election if there is a pro-indepedence majority in the Scottish parliament - regardless of whether Westminster gives its approval.   This shift towards threatening unilateral action has coincided with the 20th opinion poll in a row showing a majority in favour of Scotland leaving the union.  

Coronavirus COVID-19 daily data for Scotland - 8 February 2021

928 new cases of COVID-19 reported.   16,583 new tests for COVID-19 that reported results - 6.6% of these were positive.  

Expert Reveals How To Beat Driving Nerves As Lockdown Anxiety Is On The Rise

Google searches around driving anxiety and how to beat driving nerves has increased by 52% since March 2020.   With elderly people now set to head out for vaccinations, expert reveals how to ensure they are safe when driving.  

Government Commits To 80,000 New SWAPS Opportunities

Nearly two million Brits could be supported back into work through innovative Plan for Jobs employment schemes delivered by the DWP.   The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has today given a further boost to jobseekers by increasing the number of retraining places on the Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP) to 80,000 for the next financial year - building on the 40,000 already successfully delivered over the last eight months.  

FCDO Competition Launched To Mobilise Investment In Emerging And Developing Countries

Private sector investors are invited to identify proposals to mobilise investment in developing countries.   The UK Government today (8 February), invites the private sector to participate in a Competition to identify innovative product proposals to mobilise investment in sustainable infrastructure in emerging and developing countries.  

Why Grantham Says The Next Crash Will Rival 1929, 2000

Jeremy Grantham, co-founder and chief investment strategist of Boston's GMO, believes U.S.  stocks have become an epic bubble and will burst in a collapse rivaling the crashes of 1929 and 2000.  

Health And Social Care Secretary's Statement On Coronavirus Covid-19 8 February 2021

Speech by Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock at the Downing Street coronavirus briefing.   Good afternoon and welcome back to Downing Street for today's coronavirus briefing.