Finance Secretary John Swinney is expected to set out a further phase of support in Scotland's strategy for economic recovery when he publishes the Scottish Government's draft Budget plans on Thursday. The move follows the £485m of additional investment in the Scottish economy that has already been confirmed above and beyond the investment package announced in last year's Spending Review.
Scotland's poorest and most vulnerable groups will suffer if the UK Government progresses with its proposed welfare reform agenda, Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, warned again yesterday. Measures being brought in by the UK Government will see spend in Scotland on the equivalent of Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans fall by almost £10 million in 2013/14 in comparison to previous years.
£9 million awarded to support growth in key sector. The Scottish Government has awarded 32 companies grant support worth £9 million under the latest rounds of food and drink funding.
The following statement has been issued by HM Treasury on 16th September 2012. Public Service Pensions Bill published recently delivered the final stage in halving cost of pensions.
Companies that can recycle plastics, including cling film and uPVC windows, are eligible for a new investment from the Scottish Government. The new £2.5 million loan fund offers direct financial support to organisations to develop plastics sorting and reprocessing facilities in Scotland.
Twelve patients have been cured of a life threatening complication of type one diabetes thanks to an innovative Scottish transplant programme. Eighteen months on from the first operation, the Scottish National Pancreatic Islet Transplant Programme has carried out 18 islet cell infusions, and improved the lives of 12 patients.
Northern Constabulary see reduction in driving offences during recent ACPOS campaign. Northern Constabulary are welcoming the results of the recent ACPOS day of action in comparison with results in an identical campaign, targeting mobile phone use and wearing of seatbelts, early last year, in the Highlands and Islands.
Miller Construction is extending an invitation to businesses of all construction disciplines to a Meet the Buyer event being held at Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club on Wednesday, 19th September. Miller is the preferred bidder on £50 million of work to be delivered over the next three years in Wick, Tain and Forres and is seeking local partners to deliver these projects and others when they arise.
Week commencing 10th September 2012 Energy: DSRL's Commercial Team will be holding two Supply Chain Briefings this month to give an update on the Shaft and Silo Decommissioning Project at Dounreay.The project comprises of the design, build, operations and decommissioning of limited-life plant and facilities necessary to retrieve and treat the waste from within the Dounreay Shaft and Wet Silo. The overall project is valued between £80M and £100M, so it represents a significant opportunity for supply-chain companies.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (September, 14th) sold 7,075 store lambs including 748 on behalf of Lewis Livestock Producers. Lambs (6,327) sold to £72 gross for Blackfaces from Tulloch Farm, Dingwall.
A new initiative aimed at preventing homelessness amongst ex offenders and their families in Aberdeen, Inverness and Perth has received Lottery funding worth £889,317, the Big Lottery Fund announced recently (TUES 11 September). Also in the north of Scotland, over 100 young carers will benefit from the recent £1.2 million investment as Skye & Lochalsh Community Care Forum receives a grant of £358,054.
An ambitious plan to make sure communities across Scotland reap the rewards of renewables has been launched by the First Minister. The Community Benefit Register gives information on the benefits to local areas of having renewable energy projects nearby.
Scotland's drinking water continues to be of a high quality, according to a report published today. The annual report by the Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) on the quality of public supplies during 2011 found that well over 99 per cent of tests on samples complied with strict regulatory standards.
The Boundary Commission for Scotland today (Thursday 13 September 2012) begins an eight week final consultation period with its Sixth Review of UK Parliament Constituencies. The final consultation period allows comments to be made to the Commission concerning any of its revised proposals for constituencies.
A new expert panel has been established to advise the Scottish Government on how more new entrant farmers can be supported to access opportunities to take up farming. The New Entrants Advisory Panel meets for the first time today and will advise Government on support and assistance for new entrants, including the position of new entrants under the next Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP), as part of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms.
A proposed bill to give more power to Scotland's communities could see the biggest transfer of power since devolution. The proposed Community Empowerment and Renewal Bill would give more power to Scotland's communities.
A guide to help schools provide the information that parents want about their child's education has been published by Minister for Learning Alasdair Allan. School handbooks are an important source of information for parents.
Gender inequality in key Scottish industries will be addressed by a new £250,000 fund to encourage girls to widen their career options, Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond announced today. The funding will go towards Careerwise Scotland, a new initiative which will step up action to encourage more girls to consider careers in science and engineering, an issue highlighted previously by the independent Science and Engineering Education Advisory Group.
Statistics published today by Scotland's Chief Statistician show that the value of fish landed by Scottish vessels increased by 13 per cent in real terms in 2011 to reach the highest level in the century. The figures show that 359,000 tonnes of fish were landed by Scottish vessels with a value of £501 million.
A Highland Council campaign aimed at reducing smoking related litter on the streets of Inverness has seen a 25% reduction in litter with smokers helping out and 'Binning their butts'. The Highland Council ran a week long campaign which saw Officers out and about in the Inverness City centre speaking to smokers and raising awareness of the problems of tackling cigarette litter.
