Government plans will offer young people somewhere to go, something meaningful to do, and someone who cares about their wellbeing in moves to strengthen their connections in real life. Ambitious 10-year plan to give 500,000 more young people access to a trusted adult outside their home and equip them with skills to boost their resilience and stay safe online.
Consultation launched to review contract practices in the combinable crops sector, building on Fair Dealing reforms in dairy, pigs, eggs and fresh produce sectors. Arable farmers are set for stronger protections under a new government review into unfair practices in the combinable crops supply chain, Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle has announced.
The UK has joined a defence exports treaty with European allies which will make it easier for UK defence businesses to export. British defence companies to benefit from closer cooperation on exports with our European allies France, Germany and Spain.
Recent policy developments in Scotland have increasingly focused on improving the employment prospects of young people, particularly those who rely on long-term benefits. Initiatives such as the Job Start Payment, alongside wider programmes promoting employability and youth participation, are designed to support transitions into work.
The UK Government's announcement of Great British Railways (GBR) has triggered a flurry of headlines, political statements, and speculation about the future of rail across Britain. But for passengers north of the border — and especially for anyone wondering "what does this mean for ScotRail?" — the picture is more complex, and more interesting, than first appears.
Train operators in public ownership are demonstrating they are putting passengers first, by delivering customer improvements. On 4 December 2024, the government launched the rail public ownership programme, bringing train operators into public ownership.
Adult Disability Payments (ADP), which were introduced in Scotland in 2022 to replace Personal Independence Payments (PIP), show that it may be possible to implement a claimant-centred and dignified disability benefit system without significantly driving up costs and caseloads, according to new analysis from the Resolution Foundation published on Monday 9 December 2025. Delivering dignity? - funded by the Health Foundation - examines how the introduction of ADP has impacted claimants' experiences, and its subsequent impact on the caseload and cost of disability benefits in Scotland.
ScotRail's operator, ScotRail Trains Ltd (SRT), is publicly-owned and SRT is overseen by Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH), which is wholly owned by the Scottish Government. However and this is key ScotRail (like virtually all UK train operators) does not generally own the rolling stock (the trains) themselves.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has been granted planning permission in principle to progress the second and final phase of development at Inverness Campus. The consent is subject to a Section 75 agreement being finalised between HIE and The Highland Council.
The report is written by the Covid Counter Fraud Commissioner, appointed in December 2024 to lead a government-wide review of fraud and error in spending related to COVID-19 pandemic. Its purpose is to assess how much government has recovered so far, identify where further recoveries are possible, examine flawed contracts and payments, and draw out lessons and reforms to prevent similar fraud in future crises.
In all of the major fiscal announcements in budget week, most notably Wednesday's Budget, there was a notable lack of financial support for digital infrastructure, particularly around energy costs. This is despite digital infrastructure being fundamental to the operation of Britain’s economy and the functioning of our society.
With fares frozen, a bold new look and fundamental reforms becoming law, government is building a railway Britain can rely on and be proud of. new Great British Railways brand unveiled - one railway, owned by the public, as landmark legislation debated in Commons.
Storm Bram is expected to cause disruption from very strong winds during Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning..
There have been reports of cold callers targeting ex-council properties and offering residents a 30% discount on new windows and doors if they sign up immediately. They say they are affiliated with the local council, which is not true.
A new approach to supporting Gaelic in Scotland will focus on creating jobs and strengthening economic growth in areas where the language is traditionally spoken. An action group called Tog - which means "to raise" in Gaelic - will bring together public bodies, local authorities and business leaders to ensure funding for the language delivers real economic benefits.
Businesses affected by ferry disruption in Coll, Tiree, the Small Isles, Mull, Iona, Ulva, Barra, Vatersay, Islay and Jura can now access financial support. The £4.4 million Islands Business Resilience Fund (IBRF) is expanding to support more businesses experiencing economic impacts linked to travel issues.
The Information Commissioner announced that we will be scrutinising how popular mobile games played by children in the UK protect their online privacy. With around 90% of UK children playing games on digital devices, we will launch a monitoring programme targeting 10 popular mobile games.
The number of teachers in Scotland in 2025 increased to 53,475 full-time equivalents (FTE), a rise of 63 FTE compared to last year. Pupil numbers also decreased compared to last year, dropping by 6,505 to 695,923.
The school attendance, absence and exclusions statistics 2024-25, published today, brings together statistics from the annual attendance and absence collection and the biennial exclusions collection. The key points are as follows: Attendance The attendance rate in 2024/25 was 91.0%.
There's a high chance you will be asked to accept a neighbour's parcel as we near Christmas. But could you be signing away their consumer rights and even be exposing yourself to litigation? Parcelhero asks if neighbours really should be there for one another.
