Businesses trading with the United States will be able to continue to trade smoothly following EU exit, after the UK and US governments agreed a deal to continue Customs cooperation. The bilateral Customs Assistance Agreement was signed by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury Jesse Norman and US Ambassador Robert Wood Johnson today at a signing ceremony at the US embassy in London.
The UK's Ambassador to the WTO in Geneva, Julian Braithwaite, delivered these statements during the WTO General Council, December 2020. Item 5 - MC12 Thank you, Chair.
13,000 Child Winter Heating Assistance payments made. Thousands of families of disabled children in Scotland have received an additional £200 to help heat their homes this winter.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, has announced that the government will publish the Budget on Wednesday 3 March 2021..
UK Government statement following the meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee, 17 December. The Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee met today, 17 December, by video conference.
ONE of the flagship projects of Moray's multi-million pound Growth Deal took a step closer to becoming reality today as councillors agreed to fund £3.9 million towards its creation. Plans for a Cultural Quarter, which aims to create a vibrant space in the heart of Elgin that will support economic growth and cultural expansion across Moray were welcomed, and today’s agreement of council funding unlocks the next steps in the project, ensuring it’s ‘shovel-ready’ and work on-site can commence by 2024 - or earlier if possible.
Families in five local authorities who defer entry to primary one for their child next year will automatically receive an extra year of funded early learning and childcare (ELC). Currently, it is up to councils whether to fund ELC for children born between August and December who defer entry to primary one.
The Highland council is reminding people that the Red Hot Highland Fling at Hogmanay event in Inverness will not be taking place this year. It, like all other Christmas and New Year-themed civic events including the Winter Wonderland at Whin Park and the Christmas lights switch-on parade, has been cancelled due to the ongoing Covid pandemic.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (December, 16th) sold 33 MV accredited pedigree females at its annual sale. In lamb gimmers: Beltex sold to 1,500gns from Lochend Farm, Denny.
More than 100 new policies and proposals to support Scotland's green recovery and help deliver a just transition to net zero have been launched. They form part of the Climate Change Plan 2018 - 2032, which has been updated to reflect the world’s most ambitious framework of climate targets as enshrined in Scotland’s Climate Change Act 2019.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has joined with the leaders of the UK Government and the Welsh Government in issuing guidance on how the public should approach Christmas celebrations this year. The First Minister has stressed that the strong recommendation of the Scottish Government to people across Scotland is to celebrate Christmas this year within your own household and in your own home - and as far as possible to keep any interaction with other households to a minimum.
A National Statistics Publication for Scotland. The Chief Statistician has released statistics showing that the economy grew by 16.0% during the third quarter of 2020, covering the period July to September.
All eligible children will benefit from at least 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) from August 2021, the Children's Minister has announced. The expansion of funded ELC, originally intended for August 2020, was paused in April to give local authorities the flexibility to focus on responding to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Since the UK's first lockdown in March, the government has had one (perhaps only one) consistent message — protect the NHS, write Alastair McLellan of HSJ and Fiona Godlee of The BMJ. Now, with the number of hospital patients with covid-19 again on the rise, and a third wave almost inevitable, the new year is likely to see NHS trusts facing a stark choice: be overwhelmed or stop most elective and non-urgent work.
Care home staff tests to be prioritised with cutting edge diagnostic equipment. The first of three regional hub laboratories set up to increase Scotland's testing capacity has opened in Glasgow today.
Drug-related deaths in Scotland increased by 6% last year, according to official statistics. National Records of Scotland figures show there were 1,264 deaths, an increase of 77 on 2018 and the highest figure on record.
Forthcoming regulations to curb the general sale and use of fireworks. Regulations to restrict both the sale of fireworks and the times when they can be set off by the general public will be introduced for Parliament to consider in the new year.
Scotland's least well-off families have seen a marked increase in their income from three Scottish Government benefits, according to an evaluation published today. The evaluation of the three Best Start Grant payments shows that families on the lowest incomes were able to buy essential items for their children as a result of these new benefits.
The total number of full time equivalent teachers has risen to its highest figure since 2008, official statistics confirm. New figures have revealed that there were 53,400 teachers employed in early learning and childcare, primary, secondary and special schools or centrally employed.
This release provides the latest information on pupils, teachers and early learning and childcare, and shows that over the year to 2020 teacher numbers increased by 1,153 to 53,400. Pupil numbers have not increased at the same rate therefore the pupil teacher ratio has decreased to 13.3.
