The future of maritime has been given a funding boost by the UK Government with an increase in training subsidies for cadets and ratings. Eligible seafarers will now get half of their training paid - providing a real investment in the future of maritime and securing future growth.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has issued guidance on how they categorise vehicle defects in roadside checks has been published today. This guide outlines the actions we take when we find roadworthiness defects during vehicle inspections.
Another item from Richard Murphy and it's staggering what is going on when workers are blamed for asking for pay rises and inflation. Well not too many pay rises so far to catch up on inflation but huge amounts of dividends have been paid out to the very well off.
Strike action will bring Felixstowe to a standstill from today Sunday 21 August 2022 and will cause major logistical problems for maritime and road haulage transport entering the port. Felixstowe is responsible for 48 per cent of the UK's container trade.
UK's deal with New Zealand "damaging" to Scottish farmers and food producers. The UK's Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand will allow for much higher quantities of produce to come into the UK tariff-free, leaving "a lack of a level playing field between Scottish and New Zealand farmers", Scottish Ministers have warned.
Following the successful merger of GP Practices in Riverbank (Thurso) and Lybster in 2021, NHS Highland is now supporting Riverview Practice (Wick) to integrate into this unified primary healthcare team. This will bring benefit to both patients and staff thanks to closer working relationships between the practice teams.
A petition against Tesco forcing customer to use Self Service checkouts is not one of the fastest growing at change.org At time of posting it had reached 300,000 signatures. How many folk are deciding not to go back if there are no checkout assistants.
On a summer's day at the beach, the sound of seagulls is part of the ambience. But what about when they're in the middle of a city, or when they've just taken your lunch? Not a lot of people like seagulls.
The public are being advised as a precautionary measure that algal scum at Loch Watten in Caithness should be avoided by people and pets. Samples taken at Loch Watten have indicated the presence of blue-green algae.
As children go back to school, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding families in Scotland to not miss out on up to £2,000 a year towards their child's wraparound care. Tax-Free Childcare puts more money back in the pockets of working families by providing much needed financial support towards the cost of childcare for children aged 11 or under, or up to 17 if the child has a disability.
More rural homes and businesses will access faster broadband following a further £36 million expansion of the Reaching 100% (R100) contracts. The extension of existing contracts with delivery partner Openreach will see another 2,637 rural properties across Scotland able to access gigabit-capable connections through additional Scottish and UK Government investment in the R100 programme.
An annual update on Homelessness Statistics covering 2021-22 has been released by Scotland's Chief Statistician. Findings for that period show: There were 35,230 applications for homelessness assistance - an increase of 944 (3%) compared with 2020-21, but still below pre-pandemic levels (37,060 in 2019-20).
£3.5 million for landscape-scale biodiversity projects. Longer-term projects that aim to transform Scotland's natural environment can apply for a share of funding in the latest round of the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund.
Renewed focus on removals is fulfilling the government's commitment to keep the British public safe and tackle illegal migration. The Home Secretary has sent out an urgent warning on Thursday 18 August to dangerous foreign criminals and immigration offenders in the UK that the government will not rest until they are removed and our streets are made safer.
New funding has been announced to cut carbon emissions in homes and commercial properties, as the Scottish Government continues to focus on delivering its net zero targets and support families with the cost of living. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Zero Carbon Buildings Minister Patrick Harvie announced £16.2 million funding for five zero emission heat networks during a visit to ng Homes in Glasgow.
New plan for self-driving vehicles plus a consultation on a safety ambition. Government unveils plan to rollout self-driving vehicles on UK roads, sparking a transport revolution to improve road safety and better connect communities estimated 38,000 new jobs could be created in the UK from predicted £42 billion industry backed by £100 million to support industry investment and fund research on safety developments.
The proposed Islands Bond will not go ahead following responses to a consultation. The key findings from the analysis of the Scottish Government Islands Bond consultation suggests that island communities do not support the proposed Bond - one of the initiatives announced last year to address the issue of depopulation.
The Highland Council has been shortlisted for 4 APSE Service Awards which celebrate excellence in local public services. Chair of the Communities and Place Committee, Cllr Graham MacKenzie commended the Council staff, he said: "I am very pleased to advise that the Community Operations and Logistics Section has been short listed in 3 categories in the 2022 Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Awards.
A new support service for Highland based food and drink companies will be launched at a series of events next week in Fort William, Inverness and Dornoch. Attendees will be able to share their business challenges and asked for their views on the detail and content of the service.
Rishi Sunak, one of the candidates to be the UK's next prime minister, has vowed to "crack down" on university degrees with poor career outcomes. This is not a new idea.
