Scotland's Chief Statistician today published the Final Estimate of the Cereal and Oilseed Rape Harvest 2012. This publication updates the provisional harvest estimates published in October and provides commentary and graphics on the latest annual changes and trends over the past 20 years.
For the first time in 5 years the way has been cleared to avoid Scottish fishermen having to suffer more damaging cuts to days at sea. Meanwhile a proposed 20 per cent cut in cod quota under the Cod Recovery Plan can be stopped.
Wet weather in Scotland this year has had an adverse impact on the harvest, the latest figures show. The Final Estimate of the Cereal and Oilseed Rape Harvest 2012, published today by Scotland’s Chief Statistician, show that cereal production decreased between 2011 and 2012 by 440,000 tonnes (15 per cent).
New figures published today for the first three quarters of 2012 show Scotland’s renewable electricity output was on track for the best year ever. The figures, which were released this morning by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, point to 2012 being a record year for renewable electricity generation in Scotland, with the first three quarters of 2012 generating 15.2 per cent more electricity than the same period in 2011, the previous record breaking year.
Severe Weather Due to Disrupt Services Serco NorthLink has warned customers to expect unprecedented disruption to services as forecasts predict severe weather until Christmas Eve. The ferry operator brought today’s southbound sailing from Lerwick forward to 1300hrs, with arrival in Kirkwall expected at 1800hrs.
Passenger numbers at Scotland’s regional airports jumped by more than 10% last month, with the booming energy sector responsible for much of the growth. Latest figures from airport operator HIAL show that its 11 airports handled 101,701 passengers in November, an increase of 10.5% on the same month last year.
SEPA warns of potential flooding across Scotland. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has warned of potential flooding across Scotland through Thursday and Friday.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (December, 19th) sold 80 MV accredited pedigree females at its annual show and sale. The judge, Mr John Macgregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth, awarded the Suffolk champion to a gimmer by Cairness Stockbroker, carrying a single to Rookery Rooney, from Mr R.
Green energy firm Infinergy has officially submitted its planning application for a 24-turbine wind farm at Limekiln, in Caithness. Infinergy believes the project will significantly offset the carbon footprint of the area and create new industries, jobs and skills that will outlast the decommissioning of nearby Dounreay Power Station.
The Highlands has 17 datazones ranked in the most deprived 15% in Scotland according to the Scottish Government’s latest release of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). SIMD has been designed to identify the most deprived areas across Scotland.
The Highland Licensing Board has confirmed its decision to abolish its door entry policy, which required customers at 13 night clubs across the Highlands to enter the premises by midnight. The Board took a policy decision to abolish its door entry policy at a meeting on 20 November on the basis that it had not been demonstrated that the policy continued to serve any of the 5 licensing objectives.
Recycling and refuse collection arrangements over the Christmas Holidays. With the 2012 festivities almost upon us, The Highland Council is advising households not to get snowed under with waste but to take advantage of all the recycling opportunities available over the Christmas holidays.
Highland Council publishes help and advice for private landlords and letting agents. Private landlords are being given information about new laws and advice about what they need to do to meet their new duties in the latest edition of The Highland Council’s Landlord News published this week.
A decade of devolution has delivered an historic record population and a key driver for growth. The first set of 2011 Census data, which are published today, reveal that Scotland’s population is now the highest in history, beating the previous record set in the early 1970’s and reversing declines seen in the decades since.
The Highland Council is taking stock of the damage to its eastern coastline following storm surges over the weekend which resulted in damage to existing coastal defences and a number of harbours. Staff from The Council’s Transport, Environmental and Community Services were been deployed throughout the week end to respond to local flooding issues and clean up the debris resulting from the storms.
Finance Secretary John Swinney has welcomed new statistics showing the largest fall in the unemployment rate in Scotland for four years. Unemployment in Scotland has fallen by 19,000 during the most recent quarter, with a significant drop in youth unemployment over the year.
Steps are being taken that could see a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) equivalent to an area the size of Scotland being created in Scottish waters. If designated the MPA network would almost double the 12 per cent of Scotland’s seas currently protected, bringing the total area to more than 20 per cent.
Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution (SHEPD) invests £5.4m in network in Highland. The electricity network in Highland has been strengthened further through a £5.4m investment in preparation for the winter months as part of a planned £160 million company wide investment programme over the next four years.
Agreement on further planning reforms in Scotland has been reached following discussions between Local Government Minister Derek Mackay, Cosla leaders and other key stakeholders this afternoon. Mr Mackay announced a package of measures to speed up the updating and processing of local development plans, and to streamline the planning system as well as extending the number of developments that do not need to submit planning applications.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has announced a decision to proceed with the next phase of the National Nuclear Archive project, which will see a new purpose built archive facility constructed at Wick to provide long-term storage of records and other archive material from civil nuclear sites in the UK. The archive will be operated on NDA’s behalf by a specialist commercial partner and is expected to bring more than 20 sustainable jobs to the town.
