News Archive

30/10/2025

Get help with your energy bills

Ofgem has a very good list of all the help available.   Find out where to get help if you're worried about paying your electricity or gas bills.  

29/10/2025

Maternity Alerts - Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary Fails Key Safety Checks Amid Staff Shortages

A recent unannounced inspection by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) into maternity services at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh has uncovered multiple serious issues around safe delivery of care.  The findings raise concern about the risk to both mothers and babies and call for urgent improvement.  

29/10/2025

UK Hospices Facing Staff Cuts Amid Funding Crisis

Many hospices in the UK are cutting back on staff and services due to severe funding shortfalls.   Nearly two-thirds of independent hospices in England reported financial deficits in 2023-24, forcing reductions in beds, staff, and care provision.  

29/10/2025

 
UK Export Finance and PIF sign MoU for £4-5 billion to promote UK companies' engagement in the Saudi market

The signing took place in the presence of Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Minister for Investment Lord Stockwood, who attended the 9th Edition of the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh.   MoU will facilitate a financial structure to support Saudi Arabia's PIF and its portfolio companies in procuring goods and services from UK companies.  

29/10/2025

Government should not cut the Cash ISA allowance - Treasury Select Committee But Money is moving

Cutting the Cash ISA allowance is unlikely to incentivise people to invest their cash in stocks and shares, a new report by the Treasury Select Committee warns.   The Government should, therefore, not cut the Cash ISA limit in the hope of persuading people to switch to stocks and shares.  

29/10/2025

£531 million investment in General Practice in Scotland

General Practice will receive additional funding of more than half a billion pounds over the next three years to support recruitment - the largest investment in core GP services to date in Scotland.   The announcement, subject to Parliament agreeing future budgets, comes following agreement with the British Medical Association (BMA) over new additional funding which builds to a recurring £249 million in three years' time.  

29/10/2025

Caithness Maternity Issues Back In The Frame For Political Parties As May 26 Election Looms

What are the main Scottish political parties saying about the maternity-care situation in Caithness (and surrounding areas).  An important factor is the long journeys women now face to give birth after the downgrade of the unit at Caithness General Hospital in Wick in 2016.  

29/10/2025

September was a bumper month for transport & storage firms

The latest ONS business survey has revealed 23% of transport & storage sector companies reported increased turnover in September.  That's the best result of any similar business sector, says the home delivery expert Parcelhero.  

29/10/2025 : Local Authority

Caithness Committee Meeting Topics For 3 November 2025

The Caithness Committee of the Highland Council met on 3 November 2025 to discuss a range of issues affecting residents across the region.  From housing performance to community funding, the meeting offered insights into how local services are evolving and where public money is being invested.  

29/10/2025

Homicides in Scotland at lowest level in half century

Homicide numbers in Scotland have fallen to their lowest level since comparable records began in 1976, according to official figures.   Cases recorded by Police Scotland fell to 45 homicides in 2024-25, down 12 on the previous year.  

29/10/2025

Largest crackdown on illegal workers since records began

Number of illegal working arrests skyrocket by 63% as Immigration Enforcement carry out highest level of raids in British history.   Arrests for illegal working have soared to their highest levels since records began, following an uplift in enforcement action.  

29/10/2025

Bank of Canada Reduces Interest Rate to 2.5% - Fed Followed

The Bank of Canada reduced its key overnight interest rate to 2.25% on Wednesday 29 October 2025, as widely expected.  This could mark an end to its cutting cycle unless the outlook for inflation and economy changed.  

29/10/2025

 
Europe's Elite Emit More Carbon in a Week than Someone from the Bottom Half Does in a Year

A person from Europe's richest 0.1% emits 53x more carbon than a person from the bottom 50%.   Since 1990, Europe's richest 0.1% have increased their share of total emissions by 14%, while the bottom half have cut their share by 27%.  

29/10/2025

Short Term Lets Licensing Statistics For Scotland to 30 June 2025

There were at least 38,040 applications for a short-term licence as of end June 2025.  36,594 of these applications were validated.  

29/10/2025

First 42 months of Scotland's Redress Scheme

If you have suffered abuse while in care, you could be entitled to a payment from the Scottish Government, as well as a formal apology.  This is called redress, and a scheme has been set up to help you make a claim.  

29/10/2025

Reduction in NHS waiting lists in Scotland

New figures show NHS waiting lists have fallen and waits of more than a year have reduced for the fourth month in a row.   When compared with August 2025, September saw a 7.3% decrease in new outpatient waits longer than a year - this number has now fallen for four consecutive months.  

29/10/2025

Chancellor - Britain will go further and faster on growth with Gulf

Rachel Reeves leads UK delegation to Riyadh, seeking to strengthen the UK-Gulf relationship to power growth here at home.   First visit by a UK Chancellor to the Gulf in six years will focus on trade and investment opportunities that benefit British businesses and working people.  

29/10/2025

Is neoliberalism finished, and what comes next? A conversation with Larry Elliott - Richard Murphy

The UK is stuck in a self-inflicted fiscal trap.   Larry Elliott, former Guardian Economics Editor and my co-author in the Green New Deal, joins me to explain why Rachel Reeves' rulebook is economic guesswork, how the Bank of England is failing to control inflation and why capital controls could help rebuild Britain's productive economy.  

29/10/2025

Fair transition to net zero vital for Scotland's economy claims First Minister

Ahead of the Just Transition Commission Summit getting underway in Edinburgh today [Weds 29 Oct], First Minister John Swinney has highlighted the importance of supporting workers and livelihoods in the journey to net zero.   The First Minister will speak at the summit and announce the Scottish Government's intention to renew the Just Transition Commission for the next Parliamentary term.  

29/10/2025

 
Why taxing idle wealth is the only tax rise Britain needs - Richard Murphy

Rachel Reeves says the UK needs tax rises to balance her budget.   That's simply wrong.