Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a statement to the House of Commons. - English Schools closed for longer - Quarantine in hotels for visitors to UK.
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew's House, Edinburgh on Wednesday 27 January 2021. Thanks for joining us again today.
Prime Minister confirms schools and colleges will not return to full face-to-face education after February half-term. The Prime Minister has confirmed today that schools and colleges will not return to full face-to-face education after the February half-term and that the current attendance restrictions will remain in place until 8 March at the earliest.
New posts to help businesses navigate EU Exit processes. Additional advisers will be appointed to help provide seafood businesses with support on new paperwork and processes following the end of the EU Exit Transition Period.
Further action to minimise travel across international borders. The government has announced further action for outbound and inbound passengers to minimise travel across international borders and reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission.
Scottish numbers: 26 January 2021 Summary 1,049 new cases of COVID-19 reported. 13,819 new tests for COVID-19 that reported results - 9.0% of these were positive.
NORTH MSP Rhoda Grant has called on the Scottish Government to approve plans for a freeport which could return the Cromarty Firth to its "glory days". At the close of a Ministerial Statement which announced the Scottish Government was giving the green light to freeports, the Highlands & Islands Labour MSP asked ministers to approve a forthcoming bid from the Port of Cromarty Firth.
UNISON Scotland has written to Finance Secretary Kate Forbes calling for fair funding for the further and higher education sectors ahead of this week's Scottish budget announcement. John Gallacher, UNISON's Scottish organiser, said: "Urgent intervention from the Scottish Government on behalf of the further and higher education sectors is desperately needed.
Highland Council's Leader, Cllr Margaret Davidson is echoing Cosla’s call on the Scottish Government in their report ‘Respect our communities: Protect our funding’ published today (Tuesday 26 January). Cllr Davidson said: "COSLA (Convention of Local Authorities) is highlighting to Scottish Government: the costs of COVID-19 to local councils and the need for these to be met.
Councils have seen greater reductions in funding over the last seven years than other areas of the Scottish Government budget a report from the Accounts Commission states today (Tuesday). The report also highlights that Scotland's councils face significant additional pressures due to Covid-19.
Funding received by councils from the Scottish Government increased by £500 million in 2019/20. But Covid-19 will drive large rises in costs and spending, combined with falling income.
This is a joint release between HMRC and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The number of payrolled employees in the UK in November 2020 fell by 2.8%, compared with the same period of the previous year.
The Scottish and Welsh Governments have issued a joint statement on the Erasmus+ exchange programme. The statement, agreed by Further and Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead and Welsh Minister for Education Kirsty Williams, says the UK Government's decision not to associate with Erasmus will reduce opportunities for all learners and cut support for the most deprived communities.
Scotland's Chief Statistician today announced the publication of the latest Long-term Monitoring of Health Inequalities report. The gap in health outcomes between the most deprived and least deprived areas of Scotland is reported for a variety of indicators in absolute and relative terms, including healthy life expectancy, premature mortality, mental wellbeing, baby birthweight, self-assessed health, limiting long-term conditions and a range of morbidity and mortality indicators relating to alcohol, cancer, coronary heart disease and drug use.
Scotland's Chief Statistician today released the results of the Scottish Health Survey - Telephone Survey, providing information on the health, and factors relating to health, of adults aged 16 and over in Scotland in August and September 2020. Questions on general health, cardiovascular conditions, caring, mental health and wellbeing, social capital and loneliness, alcohol, smoking, diet, obesity, food insecurity, physical activity, and dental health were included in the survey.
Magnox has launched a new apprentice recruitment programme to support the skills needed for our decommissioning agenda. The apprenticeships, at differing levels and in disciplines varying from health physics, procurement and supply chain to engineering design, will be based across our business.
New report shows opportunities and challenges of trade with US for small businesses. Opportunities to help small businesses across the UK overcome barriers to transatlantic trade and growth have been outlined in a new report produced by leading US-UK trade association BritishAmerican Business (BAB).
Over a third of overall COVID-19 funding has been spent on business support. Ms Forbes confirmed that more than 90% of all funding announced is live, with some smaller schemes due to come on stream in the coming weeks.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:Today's figures show signs of resilience in Scotland during the Autumn months, however we continue to live in challenging times. Throughout the pandemic, the UK Government has taken quick and decisive action to protect jobs and support businesses, providing more than £280 billion in support including the furlough scheme, business loans and self-employed income support.
Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is again raising awareness of the potential hazards posed to children by button batteries, which have become commonplace in our homes. Working with The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, the Child Accident Prevention Trust, and the British and Irish Portable Battery Association, OPSS has produced safety messages on how to keep children safe.
