Media and airline businessman Sir Richard Branson is calling on Scottish entrepreneurs to challenge what he describes as ‘the climate change sceptics’ with the facts about the changing environment. Sir Richard was speaking to delegates attending the 14th All Energy Conference and Exhibition in Aberdeen, Speaking live from his Caribbean island to Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) Director of Energy and Low Carbon, Calum Davidson, Sir Richard confirmed that he was once a sceptic on climate change but he was persuaded to think again by former American Vice President Al Gore and a range of scientists.
From this Autumn anyone who loses their job will receive £40 less as a result of government plans to make people wait for longer for any job support, according to a consultation published today (Friday) by the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) – an official body that advises the Department of Work and Pensions on benefits issues. The TUC believes that the new policy will make newly unemployed people easy prey for loan sharks, with even the government admitting that the change may increase reliance on short-term loans.
Sale 20% off all carpets and vinyl floorcoverings at Jacks. To make room for new stock we have a masive sale- 20%off all floorcoverings.
Week Commencing 19th May 2014 Energy & Business Services: Two welcome pieces of news for the local economy this week. Firstly Subsea 7 has announced a major new £270 million contract to build a pipeline for Premier Oil to service its oil field east of Aberdeen.
A national multi-agency doorstep crime operation, led by Police Scotland, has been a major success in preventing and beating the rogue traders and doorstep con men. Police and other agencies detected over 1,000 offences during the dates of operational activity, with over 200 individuals being subsequently arrested.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts, (May, 22nd) sold 751 sheep of all classes. Lambs (195) sold to £105 gross for a Texel cross ewe hoggs from the dispersal of the flock at 5 Forss, Thurso.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (May, 21st) sold 75 pedigree and commercial Luing cattle at their sixth annual spring breeding sale sponsored by W & A Geddes and Harbro Ltd. Pedigree bulling heifers (40) averaged £1,311.18 and sold to 1600gns (£1,680.00) for a pair of 25 month old heifers from Messrs A L & A C McCall, Culmaily Farm, Golspie, to Messrs Tay & Torridon Estates, North Amulree, Dunkeld.
Members of the Council’s Education, Adult and Children’s Services (ECAS) Committee have agreed to £600,000 funding towards two Care and Learning Service projects - a wireless installation project in Highland schools; and a housing development for adults with complex needs. An additional £550,000 for the second phase of a project to create wireless environments in all Highland schools by April 2015 was endorsed by Members.
On Thursday (22 May 2014) polling stations across the Highlands will be open from 7am to 10 pm for people to cast their vote in the European Elections. Already more than 18,000 people have returned postal votes.
Innovation, expertise and experience – all the characteristics commonplace amongst over 60 businesses from the Highlands and Islands set to converge on All Energy in Aberdeen tomorrow, the renewable sector’s key exhibition and conference in Scotland. In conjunction with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), these businesses will exhibit over the two day event in the HIenergy and Energy of Orkney pavilions, which once again, have the largest regional presence at the event.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (May, 20th) sold 65 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (39) averaged 202.2p (-4.9p) and sold to 235p per kg and £1,421.00 gross.
A date has been set for a budget event being held in Caithness by The Highland Council to consult with the public over spending priorities between 2015 - 2019 during which time the Council has to find savings of an estimated £63 million. The forum is being held on Tuesday 27 May at 6:30pm in Wick Assembly Rooms.
IET Calls for More Rigour in Scientific Research to Put an End to Speculation Over Health Risks from Mobile Phones and Electricity Pylons. The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is calling for research into the health effects of low-level exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from mobile phones and electricity pylons to be more robust.
Currents, waves and water quality in the Pentland Firth. Weigh Inn Hotel, Thurso KW14 7UG 2-3 June 2014 The Environmental Research Institute, University of the Highlands and Islands – with the support of CENSIS, the Innovation Centre for Sensor and Imaging Systems – invites you to a workshop is to identify opportunities within the renewable energy sector that require sensor technology solutions.
Commenting, SHE Transmission's North Projects Director Dave Mckay said:"The Caithness to Moray project is a major step in delivering a modern electricity network for the north of Scotland, capable of meeting the needs of our growing renewable energy sector. "Subject to regulatory approval, the proposed High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) system could be in place by 2018.
Week Commencing 12 May 2014 Energy & Business Services: Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission held a “meet the buyer/ meet the employer” event in North Highland College’s ETEC this week, and I was delighted to be invited to have a presence at the event with partner staff from HIE, Highland Council, Caithness Chamber and JobCentre Plus. The event allowed SSE and supply-chain companies Balfour Beatty, ABB, Amec and Siemens to outline opportunities from the £1.3Bn programme to invest in the electricity transmission network in the north.
After a harsh winter, growth in the US economy seems to be picking up again and activity looks set to accelerate as we head into the summer. In his latest Economic Viewpoint, Keith Wade, Chief Economist at Schroders, shares his views on the US.
As part of the project to install a new overhead electricity transmission line between Beauly and Denny, Balfour Beatty, on behalf of Scottish Hydro Electric (SHE) Transmission, require several short night-time closures, for a maximum of three nights, to allow essential overhead cabling activities across the A9 at Dalnacardoch, 11 miles north of Blair Atholl. John Buchan, Overhead Line Project Manager for SHE Transmission said: “We have planned the Overhead Line works at the A9 very carefully and have made every effort to keep disruption to an absolute minimum for motorists.
In the event of a "yes" vote in the Scottish independence referendum, MPs for Scottish constituencies, including ministers, should retain their seats in the House of Commons until the day of independence itself. However, they should not negotiate for the rest of the UK on the terms of independence, scrutinise the UK’s negotiating team nor ratify a resulting agreement, as their first duty would be to their Scottish constituents rather than the interests of the rest of the UK.
Settlement agreed with Ofgem. A penalty payment of £1 and a fuel poverty package amounting to £12million across a group of about 333,000 vulnerable customers including those who received Warm Home Discount payments; In addition, about 465,000 customers to receive notification they may have received incorrect information when choosing their energy tariff; Any concerned customers can call the E.ON Sales Compensation Fund on 0800 056 8497 Following Ofgem's conclusion of its investigation into E.ON's sales, E.ON has today (FRI) apologised to customers and confirmed it is working to ensure the failings of the past cannot be repeated.
