Within Scotland and the UK, there is now widespread understanding and acceptance that single use plastics have a detrimental impact on our wider environment. Within Council Headquarters, plastic cups were removed from nearly all water dispensers some years ago and the coffee machine with polystyrene cups has also now been removed from the Chamber area.
Essential help for premature and ill babies. Scotland's donor milk bank is set to receive up to £300,000 to provide vital supplies for premature and ill babies.
The First Minister has appointed Benny Higgins as the strategic adviser for the establishment of the Scottish National Investment Bank. Mr Higgins, former CEO of Tesco Bank, developed an implementation plan for the bank and the Scottish Government has accepted all 21 of his report's recommendations.
£250,000 has been awarded to help break down the day to day barriers which limit womens impact in the agriculture sector. The funding comes as the women in agriculture taskforce publishes its one year progress report.
An Outer Hebrides destination organisation is looking for a Chief Executive to lead and spearhead the delivery of its strategy. Outer Hebrides Tourism (OHT) is the industry body which promotes the Outer Hebrides as a world-class visitor destination and champions and supports tourism businesses.
Recruiting the skilled staff needed for the Scottish Government's new financial and social security powers and responsibilities will be challenging, says the Auditor General. Around 50 per cent of spending will be raised directly in Scotland by 2020 following the Scotland Acts of 2012 and 2016.
Surplus tax receipts and carry forward of funding into 2018-19 was confirmed today as the Scottish Government published the provisional cash outturn for 2017-18. Set against a backdrop of unprecedented change in Scotland's fiscal landscape due to the Scotland Acts and the Fiscal Framework, which fundamentally changed the sources of funding that underpin Scotland's spending and introduced significant new devolved financial powers, the figures show expenditure of £30.9 billion, against a fiscal budget of £31.4 billion.
Unique Caithness collaboration will delight both archaeology and gin enthusiasts. Archaeology and craft gin may seem like worlds apart, but two entrepreneurial companies from the far north of Scotland have teamed up to create a special craft gin, inspired by the prehistoric landscape of Caithness.
The issue of parcel surcharging has long been a bone of contention for many internet shoppers. However, consumers across the United Kingdom, and especially those living in Northern Ireland and the Highlands and Islands of Scotland are now set to benefit from the launch of a new website which provides a one stop shop to acknowledge these concerns, which include:.
Serco NorthLink Ferries is proud to support local producers from the Northern Isles as they prepare for this year's Highland Show. In partnership with producers from Orkney, the Serco NorthLink lifeline ferry transported cheese, baked items, oatcakes, ice creams and of course rum and gin, that will be proudly showcased at the show.
A deal to harmonise staff pay at a cost of £50m a year will absorb projected savings from the reform of Scotland's colleges, says the Auditor General. Caroline Gardner's annual report on colleges says the sector reported a very small surplus in its underlying financial position in 2016/17, compared to the previous year's £8m deficit.
Councillor Struan Mackie (Thurso and Caithness West - Ward 2) has stepped down from the North Planning review body citing pressure of work as the reason. No replacement has yet been announced.
Britain's most northerly community is to become the first to benefit from acquiring a publicly owned asset from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) through an Asset Transfer under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. The Unst Partnership will purchase and refurbish the building it currently leases from HIE and create a recycling facility and second-hand shop as well as a new part-time post to help run it.
The Scottish Centre on European Relations in April 2018 published a new report on the big challenges that line the road ahead for the EU, UK and Scotland as the Brexit process unfolds to its autumn denouement. The report contains analysis from 15 leading experts and commentators from Scotland, Northern Ireland and the EU.
Homes rented to families take up less management time for landlords. Homes rented to benefit recipients and migrant workers can take up to six hours more management time per week.
2019 support scheme outlined. Hill farmers and crofters in Scotland's most remote and rural areas will continue to receive support under the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) into 2019.
Crown Estate Scotland has opened up coastline, seabed and rural estates for local management under a new scheme launched on (20 June 2018). The Local Pilots Scheme enables community bodies and local authorities to take on land and property to test new and innovative ways of sustainable development.
A £2 million Digital Development Loan has been launched for Scottish companies which want to improve their digital capabilities and processes. It's open to SMEs which want to develop areas such as cyber security, data analytics and software engineering, and/or increase the digital skills of their staff.
Further actions to stop young people taking up smoking and raise a tobacco-free generation have been outlined. The Scottish Government's updated Tobacco Control Action Plan sets out 44 specific actions to address health inequalities and cut smoking rates in the communities where people find it most difficult to quit.
Serco NorthLink Ferries celebrates being the first ferry company in Scotland to achieve the prestigious Investors in People Silver Accreditation, the most successful framework for business improvement through people in the UK. Stuart Garrett, Serco's Managing Director of NorthLink Ferries, joined the team at NorthLink Ferries' Stromness call centre to celebrate the achievement.