Young people from some of the countries already facing the worst impacts of climate change are being given the opportunity to attend COP27 in Egypt as part of the Scottish Government's work to widen access to climate negotiations. The Climate Youth Negotiator Programme will support 35 young people from countries including the Solomon Islands, Liberia and Bhutan to attend the UN climate negotiations, which take place from 6-18 November.
The developer of the West of Orkney Windfarm has completed its 2022 offshore surveys for the project area, located around 25km north of the Sutherland coast. The 2 GW project is a joint venture comprising Corio Generation, TotalEnergies and Renewable Infrastructure Development Group (RIDG) and is scheduled to be generating electricity by 2029.
Powers passed by MSPs to help deal with the impact of Brexit are being used for the first time to ensure Scotland's high quality drinking water aligns with standards set by the European Union. The EU Continuity Act 2020 ensures that Scotland can maintain and advance the high standards shared between devolved Scots and EU law, irrespective of the consequences of the UK’s exit from the European Union.
A new annual publication with estimated take-up rates of Scottish social security benefits has been published for the first time. The report will help track progress against the Scottish Government's Benefit Take-up Strategy which is a requirement of the 2018 Social Security (Scotland) Act.
On Monday afternoon, the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) board members paid a visit to Lerwick Port Authority to hear about the plans to develop an ultra-deep-water quay at Dales Voe. The project intends to further enhance port facilities and allow for a significant volume of future decommissioning work and offshore wind opportunities that will create many jobs.
This blog is part of a collaborative Joseph Rowntree Foundation project examining and exploring ideas we need to advance Social Justice in a Digital Age. "Productivity isn't everything" wrote Paul Krugman, Nobel prize-winning economist in 1990.
William Eichler writing in Localgov highlights a report by the Resolution Foundation. Cuts to benefits have left local authority-administered discretionary welfare support funds ‘over-burdened', think tank warns.
UK general government gross debt was £2,436.7 billion at the end of Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2022, equivalent to 101.9% of gross domestic product (GDP). UK general government deficit (or net borrowing) was £43.9 billion in Quarter 2 2022, equivalent to 7.2% of GDP.
Latest updates on SARS-CoV-2 variants detected in the UK. UKHSA designates 2 new COVID-19 variants.
Over the coronavirus pandemic period, earnings estimates were affected by changes in composition of the workforce and the impact of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough) making interpretation difficult; also data collection disruption and lower response rates mean that, for 2020 and 2021, data were subject to more uncertainty and should be treated with caution; we would encourage users to focus on long-term trends rather than year-on-year changes. The proportion of low-paid employee jobs (based on hourly pay) fell to 10.5% in 2022 from 14.3% in 2021, the lowest since the series began in 1997, with the proportion of high-paid employee jobs falling 0.7 percentage points on-the-year to 23.7% in 2022.
A tale of woe that the Scottish government would like to forget. Oh maybe also the banking dreams and the ferries still not delivered after six years.
A deal has been signed confirming Bulb's 1.5 million customers will have a new energy home in Octopus. UK government approves deal between the special administrators of Bulb and Octopus Energy to acquire Bulb's 1.5 million customers following an extensive and competitive sale process, the move provides a stable new home for Bulb's customers and 650 employees.
Scottish children have stepped their way into the history books as the country is confirmed as the world's first Daily Mile Nation. Around 187,000 school children in all of Scotland's local authority areas are getting active for at least fifteen minutes a day meeting the criteria agreed with the Daily Mile Foundation.
John Curtice, Senior Research Fellow, National Centre for Social Research, and Professor of Politics, University of Strathclyde and TV pundit on the statistics writing for the Conversation web site. In its new white paper on the economics of independence , the Scottish government made it clear that rejoining the EU was central to its vision of how Scotland could prosper outside the UK.
NHS Highland will move from Stage 3 to Stage 2 of NHS Scotland's national performance framework following improvements in governance, leadership and culture. The Health Secretary confirmed that the health board had taken actions to warrant reviewing the escalation, initially put in place in 2018, and will continue to be monitored by the Scottish Government.
Emergency legislation giving tenants increased protection from rent increases and evictions during the cost of living crisis has become law after receiving Royal Assent. The Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) Act gives Ministers temporary power to cap rent increases for private and social tenants, as well as for student accommodation.
Starting pay for Aldi Store Assistants will increase to £11.00 per hour nationally and £12.45 within the M25, from 1st January 2023. Pay rates rise further to £11.90 nationally and £12.75 within the M25 based on length of service.
All these GMB members want is a pay deal that protects them from this crushing cost of living crisis. Hundreds of workers delivering food to some of Britain's best loved family restaurants begin voting on strike action today [28 October 2022] The Bestfood Logistics workers, who deliver fresh food to the likes of Pizza Express, KFC, Zizzi, Burger King, Wagamama and Pizza Hut, have rejected a six per cent pay offer, which would amount to a real terms pay cut this year and into next.
Rough is a natural gas storage facility under the North Sea off the east coast of England. It is capable of storing 100 billion cubic feet of gas, nearly double the storage capacities in operation in Great Britain in 2021.
Training and development company took £60,000 through two financial support schemes despite not being eligible. Keysholders Ltd was wound up by the High Court on 21 June 2022 and the Official Receiver has been appointed Liquidator of the company.
