Investment in the Connecting Scotland programme, to provide low-income households with digital devices and support, has now been increased to more than £48 million. This includes £26.6 million for the third and next stage of the initiative, meaning a total of 60,000 households will be helped by the end of 2021.
Report outlines progress made towards achieving equity in education. Good progress is being made towards closing the poverty-related attainment gap, a new report has found.
New service opens for pilot areas in July. The new Child Disability Payment will be open in pilot areas for applications from 26 July 2021.
A draft independence referendum Bill has been published to give people in Scotland the right to decide their future, once the current health crisis is over. Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said the draft Bill is being brought forward to offer Scotland the choice of who is best placed to lead the country's post-pandemic recovery - the people who live here or a government based in Westminster.
A three-year community-led project to bring about recovery and create a more sustainable future for tourism in Wester Ross, has secured £193,000 from HIE. The funding will enable the Wester Ross Biosphere (WRB) to adequately support the Wester Ross Tourism Partnership in delivering a destination management plan (DMP) for the area.
Measures to help Scotland become a leader in the development and use of trustworthy, ethical and inclusive artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are outlined in a new report. No longer the preserve of science fiction, AI already powers everyday devices such as smartphones and many more advances - such as self-driving cars – are expected in the near future.
Emma Congreve, Head of Poverty & Equalities Analysis at the Fraser of Allander Institute is joined by Mairi Spowage and Adam McGeoch of the Institute and Gavin Hood, Head of Advisory Corporate Finance at Deloitte Scotland. The Institute sets out the key findings from the latest Quarterly Economic Commentary, including the latest analysis of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Scottish economy and will gain insight from Gavin on consumer and corporate spending in the economy.
While COVID-19 has had a significant impact on all sectors of the UK economy, some have been disproportionately affected by this health and economic crisis. In particular, tourism and hospitality suffered notable losses from the pandemic.
A comprehensive report at the BBC by Laura Kuenssberg Political editor. At the beginning of March 2020, I asked a senior member of the government: "Do you feel worried?" They replied: "Personally? No." But just weeks later, Downing Street was scrambling to manage the biggest crisis since World War Two.
Article from the Fraser of Allender Institute. Back in December, we discussed homeworking and whether this new way of working was here to stay.
Two new clinical trials to develop treatments to prevent people catching (coronavirus) COVID-19 are to launch in the UK. The most vulnerable will receive treatments to stop the spread of the virus in care homes or health settings.
The Covid-19 pandemic, twelve months on from the first lockdown on 23 March 2021, has been marked by big successes on income support and vaccines, repeated failures on lockdown that have cost lives and deepened the economic crisis, and a legacy of inequality that needs to be addressed in the recovery, according to new Resolution Foundation research published Thursday 18th March 2021. The 12-month stretch explores the last 12 months of the pandemic through the health crisis, the economic crisis, and their impact on households' ability to cope financially.
Almost 95% of people aged 60 and over have been vaccinated. Health Secretary hails strength of the Union as UK passes major vaccine milestone.
The Vaccines Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (VMIC) has been granted an additional £47.6 million to support the expansion and acceleration of the programme. The VMIC will be the UK's first national vaccines manufacturing and innovation facility and will be able to respond to pandemics by producing millions of doses quickly.
Chaidh tabhartas de £11,855 a bhuileachadh air Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh (UOC) gus cuideachadh leis an togalach ann am Brèascleit a cheannach, agus na cìsean laghail co-cheangailte ris agus càraidhean leasachail a phàigheadh. Thèid an goireas ath-uidheamachadh leis a' bhuidheann coimhearsnachd gus àrainneachd shàbhailte, nua-aimsireil a chur air bhonn airson a bhith a' roinn sgilean dèanadach agus eòlas, a' gabhail a-steach ath-uidheamachadh air innealradh àiteachais agus togail sgoth coimhearsnachd.
532 new cases of COVID-19 reported. 21,010 new tests for COVID-19 that reported results - 2.9% of these were positive.
Almost £9m UK Government funding is available to help whisky distilleries go green, reduce carbon emissions and support sustainable jobs. Nearly £9 million UK Government funding to help Scotland's world-famous whisky distilleries get into the spirit of going green, cutting emissions and supporting green jobs.[b/] [b]Funding will enable distilleries to cut carbon emissions by half a million tonnes every year - equivalent to the annual carbon dioxide emissions of Stirling.
Pubished in 2015 this leaflet still shows the huge variety of scenes in the north. Wide open expanses characterise this northern region of the Highlands.
Biosecurity measures remain in force in Scotland, England and Wales to protect flocks from avian influenza. Compulsory housing measures for poultry and captive birds are set to be lifted at the end of this month, the Chief Veterinary Officers from Scotland, England and Wales announced on Friday 19th March 2021 The housing measures, which were introduced across Great Britain in December as one of a range of measures to stop the spread of avian influenza, have been a vital tool in protecting flocks across the country from the disease which is circulating in wild birds.
Four projects in the Highlands and Islands will share a £2.6 million European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) award to promote the outstanding scenery, wildlife and culture of the Highlands and Islands, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism, Fergus Ewing, announced today. The funding has been awarded through the Natural Cultural and Heritage Fund, led by NatureScot.
