Supporting businesses through the pandemic. Housebuilders will be able to apply for short-term loans of up to £1 million from the Scottish Government to support them through the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
This article was published by Fraser of Allender Institute on 6th May 2020. Attention is now turning to how to start to ease restrictions on lockdown to enable the reopening of more parts of our economy.
Expansion of Scottish manufacturing of gowns. More vital Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be manufactured in Scotland following the establishment of a new NHS Scotland supply chain.
A fund launched last week to provide grants for small and medium-sized businesses affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) is to be doubled from £45m to £90m. The First Minister announced the increase in the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund to help meet existing demand.
A page being updated from time to time by Scottish Government give the guidance to Care Homes and their staff. https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/web-resources-container/covid-19-information-and-guidance-for-care-home-settings/ The guidance for care homes provides advice about COVID-19 (previously known as novel coronavirus 2019) for those working in residential care home settings.
A report from The Fraser of Allender Institute published on 7th May 2020. This report offers a few thoughts at an early stage of this COVID-19 crisis, largely with the objective of stimulating further reflection and analysis, and generating much better thoughts.
Survey of attitudes to COVID-19 shows public respect messaging. Staying at home to save lives is recognised as a vitally important action in tackling coronavirus (COVID-19).
School pupils across The Highland Council have been benefiting from an innovative approach to Teaching and learning which has made the transition to home learning smoother for all. Highland Council was one of the first local authorities in Scotland recognised to develop a Schools Digital Learning Hub, which provides a resource for staff, parents and pupils to support home learning.
The Highland Council has, along with other Scottish Local Authorities, submitted details to COSLA of the potential impact of COVID 19 on its revenue and capital budgets. The Council has estimated potential income losses and additional costs up to £87.5 M which would be off-set in part by savings across a variety of service areas.
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Help is at hand for bereaved families in Highland who may find the unexpected cost of funerals out of their reach during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Highland Council has provided funeral directors in the region with information leaflets to ensure that they are aware of the financial support that is available to relatives for some funeral costs in specific circumstances.
Dr Maria Rana, expert in economics and finance at the University of Salford Business School, explores the current state of the UK economy, after key stats from the Bank of England show the huge impact of coronavirus Dr Rana said: "It is now clear that even if lockdown loosens this Sunday we are still a long way from ‘business as usual'. Until a vaccine is found we can assume that some form of restrictions will remain in place, with prolonged repercussions for the economy.
From the International Monetary Fund Blog. STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 By Vitor Gaspar, Paulo Medas, and John Ralyea The pandemic has highlighted the role of the public sector in saving lives and livelihoods.
Rhoda Grant calls for daily testing at Skye's coronavirus-hit care home - and for loved-ones to visit dying patients in their final moments wearing full PPE. Rhoda Grant MSP has asked NHS Highland to start daily testing of all care home staff and residents who tested negative at the Skye care home hit by an outbreak of the virus.
Investment of £19.2 million to support 83,000 carers As part of the next emergency coronavirus legislation, the Scottish Government is proposing an additional £19.2 million investment in Carer's Allowance Supplement. This is in recognition of the additional pressure that carers are under as a result of the ongoing pandemic.
Funding to connect the most vulnerable. A new £5 million programme will offer an internet connection, training and support, and a laptop or tablet to vulnerable people who are not already online during the response to coronavirus (COVID-19).
One-off Government payment to help mitigate financial effects of COVID-19. The Scottish Government has announced a one-off £75 million increase in funding for Scotland's universities to ensure they can protect their world-leading research programmes against the financial impact of COVID-19.
The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) has today published a new independent survey which indicates strong levels of public confidence and consent for Police Scotland during the first phase of the COVID 19 emergency. The survey of 1,600 people across the country, commissioned by the Authority and carried out last week, is the first representative sample of public opinion in Scotland on the policing response since the emergency began.
The First Minster is to ask the Scottish Government Finance Secretary, Kate Forbes, to have direct discussion with the insurance sector about companies who are "wriggling out of their obligations" to Scottish businesses. Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, David Stewart, asked Nicola Sturgeon today at First Minister's Questions about the problems firms were having claiming their business interruption insurance.
