Uncertainty remains over the final costs and completion dates of two delayed lifeline ferries, Glen Sannox (801) and vessel 802. Concerns have also been raised over the payment of performance bonuses to senior managers at Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow.
The consortium behind Ossian floating offshore wind farm has awarded the contract for geotechnical investigations to two contractors: Fugro and Ocean Infinity. The Ossian project is being delivered by a partnership of Scottish renewable energy developer SSE Renewables, Japanese conglomerate Marubeni Corporation and Danish fund management company Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP).
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. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Following a comprehensive scientific safety review of the latest available data on the safety of pholcodine, together with advice from the independent Commission on Human Medicines, it has been concluded that the potential risks outweigh the benefits for these products. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) keeps the safety of medicines under review and acts where necessary to protect patients and the public.
Millions of households will get more support with high energy bills to help ease the cost of living, the Chancellor has announced today ahead of the Spring Budget. The Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) will be kept at £2,500 for an additional three months from April to June, saving a typical household £160.
The Highland Council is encouraging individuals, businesses, and community groups to have their say about the Scottish Governments plan for new protections for the marine environment in the form of Highly Protected Marine Areas. Scottish Ministers have committed to designate at least 10% of Scotland's seas as Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), by 2026.
Chancellor Hunt was expected to keep his first full Budget ‘boring' after last year’s politically-induced financial dramas. However, the delivery expert ParcelHero says manufacturers, retailers and their logistics partners will find some measures to get excited about - though the controversial corporation tax rise will go ahead as planned.
The latest quarterly Scottish Government Workforce Information statistics have been published today by Scotland's Chief Statistician. These statistics cover the numbers of workers, staff sickness rates, and the diversity of staff up to the most recent quarter ending December 2022.
Who is likely to be affected Individual members of registered pension schemes who make annual pension contributions over the standard annual allowance (AA), money purchase annual allowance (MPAA), or tapered annual allowance (tapered AA), and who therefore expect to become subject to an AA charge. Individual members of registered pension schemes who already have or expect to have pension savings exceeding either the standard lifetime allowance (LTA) or their protected LTA, and who therefore expect to become subject to an LTA charge.
The price of a bottle of wine will rise by around 45p as the result of alcohol duties rising with inflation in august. The Chancellor made some provision for Beer in Pubs but not in supermarkets.
Communities in worst flood-affected areas will receive funding. International Development Minister Neil Gray has announced a £1 million funding package for organisations working to support the worst flood-affected areas of Pakistan.
New fitness-to-work testing regime to qualify for health-related benefits. Funding for up to 50,000 places on new voluntary employment scheme for disabled people, called Universal Support Tougher requirements to look for work and increased job support for lead child carers on universal credit.
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.
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.
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.
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.
