News Archive

27/8/2025

‘Honour'-based abuse crackdown in raft of new measures

Victims and survivors of ‘honour'-based abuse will be kept safer and more perpetrators brought to justice in a raft of new measures, as part of the government’s pledge to halve violence against women and girls and the Plan for Change.   New statutory guidance and a legal definition of ‘honour’-based abuse will be brought in to help the police, social workers and others better support victims and make clear that frontline staff must take these crimes seriously.  

27/8/2025

Businesses - Could voltage optimisation quickly cut your energy bills?

Unless your business is operating completely off grid by generating its own electricity, you'll be powering your lights, fans, compressors, fridges, freezers and so on using electricity that's supplied by the UK's National Grid.   The National Grid supplies your electricity at a voltage of around 230 Volts, but did you know that not all equipment needs the 230 Volts you're paying for? And that that many types of equipment simply waste what they don't use.  

27/8/2025

Highlands residents accessing charity services averaged 22% in 2024 new data analysis reveals

An average of 22% of Highlands residents relied on a charity for essential support in 2024, from mental health care and debt advice to medical support, according to new data analysis by Ansvar Insurance.  The figure was higher in some areas - up to 27%.  

27/8/2025

Strengthening support for start-ups

A £3.6 million contribution to the Scottish EDGE Awards is to be made over the next three years, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has announced.   The multi-year pledge goes beyond a Programme for Government 2025-26 commitment to provide £1.2 million this year by committing to deliver the funding level for the next three years.  

27/8/2025

Trump Tariffs Hit India From Today

From today 27 August 2025 the U.S.  under President Trump, doubled tariffs on many Indian exports—from 25% to 50%.  

27/8/2025

 
Capital, Capitalism, and the Capture of Democracy - A conversation with John Christensen - Richard Murphy

Two expperst discuss Capital, Capitalism, and the Capture of Democracy.   37 minutes but you will learn a lot..  

27/8/2025

Higher Bills As Energy price cap to rise by 2% from October

Ofgem announces a 2% increase of the energy price cap for the period covering October to December 2025.   Energy regulator Ofgem has today (Wednesday 27 August 2025) announced a 2% rise of the energy price cap for the period covering October to December 2025.  

26/8/2025

Transport & storage sector companies are on a rollercoaster ride

Fewer transport & storage firms saw an increase in turnover in July than any other comparable sector, but that's not stopped many predicting an increase in September.  Transport companies are on a rollercoaster ride, says the home delivery expert Parcelhero.  

26/8/2025

Leading retailers write to Chancellor ahead of Autumn Budget

Over 60 Chief Executives of Britain's biggest retailers have written to the Chancellor to ask for action ahead of the Autumn Budget.   The letter from retailers can be found below.  

26/8/2025

Increase in numbers of newly qualified paramedics

More than 450 have joined since 2020.   Health Secretary Neil Gray has welcomed an increase in the number of newly qualified paramedics joining the Scottish Ambulance Service, with 360 new recruits joining the service since 2023.  

26/8/2025

Families under pressure as food inflation rises

Responding to the latest CPI inflation figures, which show headline inflation rising to 3.8% and food inflation rising to 4.9%.   Kris Hamer, Director of Insight at the British Retail Consortium, said, " Households are once again seeing the cost of their weekly shop climb, with food inflation now up by 1.9 percentage points in just four months.  

26/8/2025

Rising sales not enough to fend off job losses and store closures

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said, "Food sales did well in early July thanks to warm weather and a packed sporting schedule, though this momentum failed to hold for the rest of the month.   Rising food inflation meant increased spending was more a result of higher prices than improved demand.  

26/8/2025

Don't let the summer heat fool you - energy debt is a year-round problem

It has been incredibly hot recently.  Many people will have gone months without using their radiators.  

26/8/2025

Rising sales not enough to fend off job losses and store closures

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said, "Food sales did well in early July thanks to warm weather and a packed sporting schedule, though this momentum failed to hold for the rest of the month.   Rising food inflation meant increased spending was more a result of higher prices than improved demand.  

26/8/2025

Price of staples rise as Government costs bite

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, said: "Shop price inflation hit its highest rate since March last year, fuelled by food price rises.   This adds pressure to families already grappling with the cost of living.  

26/8/2025

Fiscal Update published today by Scottish Fiscal Commission

SCOTTISH SPENDING REVIEW CRUCIAL TO ADDRESSING FISCAL CHALLENGES.   In its Fiscal Update published today, the Scottish Fiscal Commission has said that the Scottish Spending Review due this December provides an opportunity for the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament to address both the immediate budget pressures and, crucially, long‑term fiscal sustainability challenges.  

26/8/2025

Shopworker Protection Act Anniversary shows more needed to protect retail workers

It is now four years since The Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Act 2021 came into force.  The Legislation, brought forward by Labour MSP Daniel Johnson and backed by the SRC, Trades Union, and retailers, aimed to start tackling the appalling abuse far too many shopworkers face daily.  

26/8/2025

 
Why gold may be losing its shine as a safe-haven investment

The price of gold reached a historic high in April and remains close to that value.   Conventional investing wisdom puts gold as a "safe-haven" asset - one that investors move towards in times of crises as they desert higher-risk assets such as stocks.  

25/8/2025

British training of Ukrainian troops extended through 2026 as UK marks Ukrainian Independence Day

Extension supports UK's objective of supporting Ukraine to defend itself from Russian attack, while developing its Armed Forces to deter Putin in future.   Ukrainian soldiers will receive a further boost from the British military's expert training, as the Government announces the extension of the UK’s world-leading training programme on Ukrainian Independence Day.  

25/8/2025

Scottish Income Tax receipts are higher than forecast

Under the Fiscal Framework agreed between the UK and Scottish Governments in 2016 and reviewed in 2023, the Scottish Government's funding is initially based on forecasts of Income Tax and updated once actual Income Tax revenues are available.   Actual Income Tax data for 2023-24 replaces forecasts of Scottish Income Tax (made by the Scottish Fiscal Commission) and forecasts of the associated Block Grant Adjustment (based on forecasts of UK Government Income Tax made by the Office for Budget Responsibility).