The next stage in making Scotland a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture has been launched. People are being urged to take part in a consultation on the Scottish Government's forthcoming Agriculture Bill.
This article reproduced on the UK government sites is published in the Mail on Sunday. Boris Johnson is still prime minister but is doing nothing to tackle the huge problem of the energy crisis for most people coming very soon and may get much worse in January.
Scottish Government commissioned Ipsos to carry out a repeat of a 2017 study into the impact of Brexit on the UK workforce. Background to the research The impact of Brexit on the UK workforce has been a prominent theme in political and economic discourse.
The Government Art Collection is launching a new five-year acquisitions project with contemporary visual arts networks from across the country. Known as X-UK, the project will acquire works by exciting British artists to go on display in more than 125 countries The collection will work with networks to support standout artists to showcase the best of Britain to the world Contemporary British artists are set to benefit from a new scheme which will see their work displayed in the country's network of embassies and government buildings around the world.
NHS pension scheme changes could be extended to allow retired staff to retain pension benefits if they return to the workforce. The extension would make it easier for skilled professionals returning to the NHS to deliver high-quality care to patients Move would help to bolster the workforce ahead of winter so they can continue to bust the Covid backlogs.
A lack of affordable housing and growing demand for rental properties have sent the rental market into a state of crisis, and young people are particularly affected. New data suggests that nearly four in ten renters under the age of 30 pay more than 30% of their income on rent, and some are turning to house sharing.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will officially open the Scottish Government's Nordic Office in Copenhagen today. The office will unlock new economic and trading opportunities by increasing Scotland's cultural and economic visibility across the Nordic region.
Ofgem's announcement today (Friday) that the energy price cap is set to increase from £1,971 to £3,549 this October, and is likely to rise further in January, means that monthly energy bills could be three times higher this winter than last year, at around £500 a month, according to new Resolution Foundation analysis. The analysis, which incorporates both Ofgem's confirmed price cap for October (£3,549) and Cornwall Insight's latest price cap forecast for January (£5,386.71), shows that energy bills this year (2022-23) are set to be around £2,277 higher than last year at £3,749 - extra money that families simply can't afford.
£1.2 million to ensure households and businesses get support. Immediate funding is being awarded to key energy advice organisations to make sure energy customers can access crucial support and advice to deal with rising energy bills and heating costs.
VAT refund scheme encourages museums and galleries to provide free entry and open up access to works in collections. Minister encourages more museums and galleries to join the scheme.
A new group established to help Scotland's retail sector as it recovers from the pandemic has discussed soaring energy costs and the impact of Brexit. At its first meeting, the Retail Industry Leadership Group (RILG) also considered how to deliver the Scottish Government's Retail Strategy and began drafting priorities to help businesses grow.
From The Institute for Fiscal Studies. UPDATE: Since this article was first published there has been a large upward revision in the forecast price cap for the three months beginning 1 January 2023.
Members at today's Economy and Infrastructure Committee noted the significant progress which has been made on the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit. The annual report for 2020/21, published on Highland Council's website, illustrates some of the excellent work that the Deal enabled between April 2020 and March 2021.
Thousands more waste and recycling workers are set to start strike action on Friday 26 August, as crisis talks took place (Thursday 25 August) between union, government, and council leaders over the Scottish local government pay offer. GMB members in a further sixteen council areas will take an initial four days of action from 00.01 hours Friday 26 August until 23.59 hours Monday 29 August, coinciding with existing action in the City of Edinburgh Council.
Economy and Infrastructure Committee Members (Thursday 25 August) approved the Strategic Tourism Infrastructure Development Plan (STIDP). Its purpose to direct future national and local area-based Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF) spend.
The new energy price cap is being confirmed on Friday 26 August, with Ofgem's announcement scheduled for 7am. You will see it on every news source - web sites, radio and tv.
Members of The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee have given the green light to move forward with plans to introduce School Street Zones. Four primaries are part of a pilot scheme to create more attractive conditions for pupils to walk, cycle, scoot, or wheel to and from school.
Well worth watching. It starts after a couple of long intros at about 13 minutes in.
Four days of Royal Mail Strikes begin today Friday 26 August Wednesday 31 August Thursday 8 September Friday 9 September. How will post be affected by the Royal Mail strike? Royal Mail says it has " well-developed contingency plans, but they cannot fully replace the daily efforts of its frontline workforce”.
New symptomatic cases per day, 108,841. Current symptomatic prevalence, 1,659,056.
