New law will let rape victims access examinations without reporting crime. Victims of sexual offences can request a forensic medical examination without having to report a crime under a landmark law passed by the Scottish Parliament.
Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund opens. A new £34 million fund has been launched to help manufacturing industries reduce energy costs and emissions.
New funding of £750,000 will help the NUS Scotland and more than 30 student associations to provide vital welfare support for students in colleges and universities. The money will help build online student communities, increase membership engagement and develop public health and wellbeing messaging.
Meeting of the Caithness Committee 11 December 2020. The only item on the agenda was Caithness Mental Wellbeing Pathfinder Project Report.
One of the UK's most important nuclear clean-up projects has taken a huge step forward. A new way of taking intermediate level waste out of Sellafield's Pile Fuel Storage Pond has been developed.
NHS Highland has encouraged people across Highland, Argyll and Bute to be patient as the first group of frontline healthcare workers in NHS Highland received the vaccination for COVID-19. Dr Tim Allison, Director of Public Health for NHS Highland, said: "The vaccination programme is a huge exercise and will continue well into next year, but I am delighted to say that it has started within NHS Highland.
While Highland Council forges ahead with a range of public and private partnership capital projects that are re-shaping the infrastructure of Inverness city centre and creating new homes - demolition work on one project has unearthed artefacts believed to be from the Middle Ages. Inverness Councillors have been provided with an update on the city's capital projects and thanked Council staff for their ongoing work during the pandemic.
Tens of thousands of adults to benefit from hundreds of free courses next year, including engineering, health, construction and accountancy. Tens of thousands of adults will be able to benefit from almost 400 free courses next year, in the first major development in the Lifetime Skills Guarantee announced by the Prime Minister in September.
David Eiser and Graham Roy from the Fraser Of Allender Institute in an article sets out the difficulties of paying a bonus to NHS tax free. The First Minister announced yesterday, at the SNP Conference, a one-off payment of £500 to NHS and care staff for their "extraordinary service" in 2020.
The UK has today set out its independent approach to the longstanding trade conflicts between the EU and US around steel, aluminium and aerospace tariffs. The UK is today announcing an independent approach to the longstanding trade conflicts between the EU and US around steel and aluminium and aerospace tariffs.
Government unveils plans to combat fraud and give businesses confidence in who they are working with. Three new consultations will support reforms to clamp down on fraud and give businesses greater confidence in transactions.
Measures from the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act extended to relieve pressure on businesses dealing with coronavirus. Update December 2020.
From the Institute For Government - Author Gemma Tetlow. As more supermarkets follow Tesco's lead in returning money to the government, Gemma Tetlow says Rishi Sunak must do more to target his Covid support packages and avoid wasting taxpayers' money.
From the Office for National Statistics, According to the Business Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Survey, 77% of UK businesses are currently trading, with 14% of trading business' workforce on furlough leave. See Section 3.
A £55 million emergency sports funding package to tackle lost ticket revenue during the pandemic has been announced today by Sports Minister Joe FitzPatrick. The funding will comprise grants and low-interest loans, including £30 million for Scottish Football at all levels of the game.
Existing hosts of short-term lets will now have until April 2023 to apply for a licence under Scottish Government plans for regulation. The move will give them more time to prepare for the new legislation coming into effect.
The days are counting down to the closure of Highland Council's public consultation on the guidance on how the Council will promote and determine rural housing applications across the whole of the Highlands. The Highland Council is now inviting the public and interested parties to participate in shaping the guidance on how the Council will promote and determine rural housing applications across the whole of the Highlands.
A ban on travel to and from Jersey is being introduced following a significant increase in the number of positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19). The ban will take effect at 6pm on Friday (11 December), alongside the lifting of travel restrictions to and from most of the Republic of Ireland.
Travellers arriving in Scotland this weekend from the Canary Islands must self-isolate on arrival. A significant increase in the proportion of cases testing positive in these islands, alongside a rise in the number of cases of coronavirus being identified, and the associated risk of importation into Scotland has led to the decisions to remove exemption status.
£3.3 million to help children's charities this winter. Charities working with children and families on low incomes will receive a share of £3.3 million to help meet the needs of those affected by poverty at Christmas and in the new year.
