Funding package agreed in partnership with COSLA. Almost a billion pounds will be invested annually to fund the huge expansion of early learning and childcare, transforming the life chances of children in Scotland.
A Bill allowing the Scottish Government to make the first social security payments later this year has been passed by Parliament. A unanimous vote means MSPs have passed the Social Security (Scotland) Bill establishing Scotland's first social security system.
Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) today released official statistics reporting personal and company insolvencies in Scotland for the fourth quarter (January to March 2018) of 2017-18 and provisional estimates for the 2017-18 financial year. Scottish insolvency statistics in 2017-18 Provisional estimates show that in 2017-18 personal insolvencies in Scotland increased by 4.7% to 10,503 from 10,032 in 2016-17.
Scotland's Chief Statistician today published the salmon and sea trout fishery statistics for the 2017 season. Salmon Total reported rod catch (retained and released) for 2017 is 49,444.
The first of at least 400 jobs, created to deliver devolved social security support within local communities across Scotland, are now open for applications. The new Social Security Scotland service will have a presence in every local authority area, with staff co-located in existing public and third sector services - all of which will make it easily accessible to local communities and anyone looking for information and support.
Leas Phrìomh Mhinistear air £1.9 millean de mhaoineachadh ainmeachadh dhan phròiseact. Thèid sgoil Ghàidhlig ùr, an treas ann an Glaschu, a dh'fhosgladh, am measg iarrtas airson àitichean a tha a' sìor fhàs.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (April, 24th) sold 5 prime cattle. Prime heifers (5) averaged 225.2p (+2.5p) and sold to 230.0p per kg and £1,413.60 gross.
Payments worth more than £300 million to farmers and crofters have begun, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing has confirmed. In the coming months, eligible farmers and crofters will receive the final balance of their Common Agricultural Policy Pillar 1 entitlement for the 2017 scheme year, having already received up to 90% through the government's loan scheme in early November.
More pupils in Scotland will be enjoying high quality school dinners thanks to our Food for Life programme receiving £1.2million from Scottish Government. This is huge, fantastic news and means we can get more children eating fresh, local produce - helping them stay healthy while supporting local producers..
Statistics on quarterly planning performance in Scotland have been released today by Scotland's Chief Statistician. These detail the number of planning applications decided across Scotland and average decision times for most types of application including housing and business and industry.
Scotland's leading creative industries festival, XpoNorth, has unveiled the next wave of speakers for the one-of-a-kind event this summer in Inverness. Taking place 27-28 of June 2018, XpoNorth 2018 will see a range of leading voices from across the national and international creative industries gather in the Highland capital to deliver one of the most exciting, inspiring, informative and unique events of its kind.
LOCHMADDY, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (April, 23rd) sold 68 store cattle and 14 OTM cattle. Bullocks (30) averaged 222.5p and sold to 262.7p per kg for a 335kg Limousin cross from 4 Tigharry, Lochmaddy and £1,200 gross twice for 735kg and 740kg Charolais crosses from 50 Balgarva, Eochar.
First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, unveiled a new manufacturing line at Norbord's Inverness plant on 23 April, following a £95m investment. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) also awarded Norbord a £12m development grant, on top of Norbord's investment, to help fund the expansion.
Brexit creeps ever closer. For businesses of all sizes there may be many consequences.
Highlands & Islands MSP and road safety campaigner, David Stewart has asked drivers in the rural areas of the Highlands &Islands to rein in their speed and give plenty of room to horses and their riders when passing them. David said " This is an issue that a lot of motorists forget about.
HIAL increase passenger numbers yet again. The latest airport passenger figures from Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) reveal a 7.4% increase in passenger numbers in the financial year 2017/2018.
KP Technology is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a Queen's Award for Enterprise in Innovation, the UK's most prestigious business accolade, for its pioneering development of an air photoemission system (APS) for materials analysis. This invention uses ultraviolet light to measure intrinsic energy levels of electronic materials.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) welcomed Lord Duncan of Springbank, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Scotland Office, to its Dounreay site to see decommissioning progress. Lord Duncan travelled to Caithness to learn more about work on Scotland's largest nuclear clean-up and demolition project.
Week commencing 16th April 2018 Tourism: In the week that we celebrated World Heritage Day it is good to see Highland Council advertising for a fixed term post to progress the long-held aspiration that the Peatlands of Caithness and Sutherland become a UNESCO World Heritage area. You can view the job description and background to the appointment at https://www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/councils/highland-council/jobs/world-heritage-project-co-ordinator-114206 Enabling activities: Recruitment continues this week for the successor to CNSRP Independent Chair Sir Anthony Cleaver, whose last meeting as Chair of the Partnership's Executive Board will be in June this year after ten years successfully leading CNSRP's programme of work.
NHS bosses have had a contract with a medical centre for almost 20 years without any formal tender arrangements being put in place to ensure value for money, a leaked report has revealed. NHS Highland also made payments to Nairn medical centre without a signed agreement on services in place, it added.