News Archive

6/8/2023

Supporting People In Hardship

Organisations at the frontline of helping people facing poverty and hardship can now apply for a share of government funding to help tackle food insecurity.   The £1.6 million Cash-First Fund is aimed at public sector and third sector partnerships to deliver cash grants for food and other essentials, helping to reduce the need for food parcels.  

5/8/2023 : Auctioneers

Dingwall and Highlands Marts Ltd - Sale 4 August 2023

DINGWALL., Dingwall and Highlands Marts Ltd., (August 4th) sold 7,628 Store lambs of all class at an average of £75.39 (- £3.23 on the year).   Texel (2,532) averaged £75.04 (last year £82.34) and sold to £115 gross from Craiglands, Fortrose.  

5/8/2023

 
British Armed Forces Take Part In Largest Military Exercise Between UK, Australia, And US

The deployment demonstrates the UK's commitment to the Indo-Pacific and working with partners in the region.   More than 150 UK personnel have joined troops from 13 other nations for Exercise Talisman Sabre, which took place across Australia and in adjacent waters, to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.  

5/8/2023

Financial Conduct Authority Sets Out 14-point Action Plan On Cash Savings

Today's plan follows a review of the cash savings market and a roundtable held with banks in early July.  The FCA found that while interest rates on savings accounts have been rising, this has been happening more slowly for easy access accounts.  

5/8/2023

 
Government Welcomes Report On Electricity Networks As Critical To Britain's Energy Security

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps welcomes report from Nick Winser, the UK's Electricity Networks Commissioner, and will consider the recommendations before presenting an action plan.   Electricity Networks Commissioner Nick Winser review will help UK take full advantage of its renewable energy success.  

5/8/2023

The Risk Of The Bank Of England Massively Overshooting On Inflation Is High

Richard Murphy - Funding the Future, challenges the Bank of England decision on interest rate rises and what it may mean going forward.   If there is one thing that I should be grateful to the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee for it is that their incompetence provides me with seemingly endless material for this blog.  

5/8/2023

 
What Is The Impact Of A Housing Crash On Economy?

Economist Tejvan Pettinger looks at the problems if there is a big fall in housing values.   High interest rates and falling house prices will fundamentally alter both the housing market, and also the economy.  

5/8/2023

Almost Two-thirds Of Women's Working Hours Excluded From GDP Globally

A staggering sixty-five per cent of women's working hours are unpaid every week and excluded from official measures of economic activity, an Oxfam report has found.  Radical Pathways Beyond GDP highlights how unpaid care - which accounts for forty-five per cent of all adults' working hours each week globally - is excluded from gross domestic product (GDP) calculations.  

5/8/2023

HMRC Late Payment Interest Rates To Be Revised After Bank Of England Increases Base Rate

HMRC interest rates for late payments will increase following the Bank of England interest rate rise to 5.25%.   The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee announced an increase to the Bank of England base rate from 5.00% to 5.25% on 3 August 2023.  

4/8/2023 : Other Public Services

Dounreay Supply Chain Newsletter July 2023

The Commercial team at Dounreay is committed to ensuring strong working relationships with the supply chain.  The launch of Dounreay's supply chain newsletter will help us to keep the supply chain informed on current events on site and will be distributed quarterly.  

4/8/2023

Britain's US And EU First Quarter Goods Exports Smash Last Year's Results

Britain's first quarterly goods exports results for 2023 have significantly surpassed the same period last year.  Exports to the UK’s key partners, the EU and USA, put Q1 2022’s figures firmly into the shade, says the international delivery expert ParcelHero.  

4/8/2023

Bank Of England Raises Interest Rate To 5.25% - 14th Increase

The Bank of England has announced a .25% rise in the interest rate.   Economists predict rates may still rise further next month.  

4/8/2023

 
Electric Vehicle Team Enables Council To Make Significant Move Towards Fleet Decarbonisation

The tireless work of Highland Council's Electric Vehicle (EV) Team has enabled the local authority to take huge strides toward the decarbonisation of its fleet and help tackle the ecological and climate emergency.   The EV team has successfully promoted behavioural change towards decarbonising transportation and the significant developments that work has delivered has accelerated the transition to low carbon transport for the Council and its communities.  

4/8/2023

 
Moneyfacts reacts to the BOE interest rate rise

The Bank of England has today increased base rate by 0.25%, up from 5.00% to 5.25%.  Moneyfactscompare.co.uk has analysed the average rates offered across savings and mortgages and considers what this decision may mean for consumers moving forward.  

4/8/2023

 
Groundbreaking Flights At Sellafield Lead The Way In Safety

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle flights are successfully flown on the Sellafield site.   Drone pilots have successfully completed 2 flight firsts on the Sellafield site leading the way to increased safety of employees during decommissioning.  

4/8/2023

Hundreds Of Thousands Of Heat Network Customers To Benefit From Fairer Energy Prices

New plans for heat network customers to receive fairer prices for cleaner heating.   New rules for heat network customers to receive fairer prices for cleaner heating.  

4/8/2023

 
New Health Company Welcomed To Inverness Campus

A new life sciences company has been welcomed to Inverness Campus.   Local health provider, Alert Health, has relocated its new clinic to a larger unit in the award-winning Aurora House, which is owned by Inverness Campus developer, HIE.  

4/8/2023

 
RAF Completes NATO Air Policing Mission In The Baltic After Intercepting 50 Russian Aircraft

The UK has been leading NATO's air policing mission in Estonia for the last four months, demonstrating the UK's commitment to the Alliance and security in Europe.   Royal Air Force personnel have returned to the UK after leading NATO's Baltic air policing mission in Estonia for four months, during which pilots intercepted 50 Russian aircraft and flew for a combined total of more than 500 hours.  

4/8/2023

UK National Charities Executive Pay Levels Get Ever Higher

Do you even think about how much top executives get paid for running national charities before you make a donation.   More and more people are shocked the levels now existing.  

4/8/2023

 
Geological Disposal Facility Report Highlights Real Progress

Engagement with four communities and site evaluation work underway.   The Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) Report has been published (29 June 2023) and sets out significant progress of the programme to deliver a safe and permanent solution for the UK's most radioactive waste.