News Archive

4/8/2026

Robot revolution hits the fields as £20 million funding announced

£20 million up for grabs to develop farm robots and automated systems that can plant, tend and harvest crops.   New funding will help develop robots and innovative technologies that can plant, tend and harvest crops, giving farmers a helping hand at busy times of year, Farming Minister Stephen Morgan announced.  

4/8/2026

Exam passes up at all levels - Poverty related attainment gap closes further

Pass rates for National 5, Highers and Advanced Highers have all increased again, including a record number of National 5 passes.   Learners have also achieved a record number of vocational and technical qualifications, up by 121% on pre-pandemic levels.  

4/8/2026

Oil Holds Above $80 a Barrel as Markets Balance Risk Against Supply

The oil price is currently trading at just above $80 a barrel, recovering from recent lows as traders continue to weigh growing geopolitical tensions against the prospect of adequate global supplies.   While the market remains extremely volatile, several factors are helping to keep prices around the $80 mark for now.  

4/8/2026

 
Advancing the Royal Navy's mine-hunting capability

Dstl collaborated with industry and Defence partners to design and implement a rigorous and innovative test of the UK's underwater mine countermeasures.   Dstl analysts supported Naval Design Partnering (NDP) and colleagues in the Ministry of Defence’s National Armaments Director Group delivering an innovative exercise for the UK’s Mine Hunting Capability (MHC).  

4/8/2026

A Plain‑English Guide to the New Employment Duties Coming in 2026–27

Small businesses across Scotland and the wider UK will soon face several important changes to employment law.  These changes come from the Employment Rights Act 2025, and they introduce new duties starting on 1 October 2026, 30 October 2026, and 1 January 2027.  

4/8/2026

Rolling five-year review of seafarer syllabus to ensure training fit for the future

Maritime and Coastguard Agency works with industry to support next generation of mariners.   A new rolling review of the UK maritime syllabus has been launched, led by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) in partnership with industry, to ensure high-quality training that is fit for the future.  

3/8/2026

Nine Million Arrivals, Five Million Departures: How Migration Has Changed Britain – And What It Means for Housing and Public Services

Nine Million Arrivals, Five Million Departures: How Migration Has Changed Britain – And What It Means for Housing and Public Services Britain is approaching a significant milestone.  With the UK's population now close to 70 million, the country is larger than at any time in its history.  

3/8/2026

Boost for farmers and crofters - Grants Up To £20,000

Grants of up to £20,000 to help farmers and crofters invest in their businesses and modernise operations will open for applications from winter 2026, First Minister John Swinney has announced.   At least 725 farming and crofting businesses will share £14.25 million as part of the next round of the Future Farming Investment Scheme.  

3/8/2026

National Grid backs PM's education reforms with new £5 million jobs programme to help 5,000 young people into work

National Grid has today unveiled a major new commitment to support 5,000 young people who are not in employment, education or training over the next five years.   National Grid launches a new £5 million fund to help 5,000 young people who are not in education, employment or training get into work.  

3/8/2026

Why both unemployment and trade shortages exist - Caithness has plenty of work but harder to find tradesmen

The UK doesn’t have a shortage of people — it has a shortage of qualified tradespeople.  Unemployment and trade shortages coexist because the labour market is mismatched: the people who are unemployed often don’t have the skills, training, mobility, or experience needed for plumbing, electrical, or building work.  

3/8/2026

Caithness Committee: Housing, Community Funding and Winter Resilience at the Heart of Today's Council Decisions

The latest meeting of the Caithness Committee today 3 August 2026 highlights three issues that continue to shape everyday life in the county.   The future of council housing and empty properties.  

3/8/2026

The Risks To Investing In Crypto Are Growing But Perhaps Not What You Think

The Bitcoin network itself has never been successfully hacked in the sense that someone has broken the blockchain's encryption.  Instead, the biggest risks have shifted to the places where people store, trade or access their cryptocurrency.  

3/8/2026

Can Digital Money Ever Replace Cash If People Fear Losing Everything?

Every New Crypto Theft Raises the Same Question.   Every few months another headline appears announcing that millions—or even billions—of pounds worth of cryptocurrency has been stolen.  

3/8/2026

Oil Prices Fall Again: Why Is Crude Dropping Despite Middle East Tensions – And Where Could Prices Go Next?

Oil Prices Fall Again: Why Is Crude Dropping Despite Middle East Tensions And Where Could Prices Go Next?.   For many people who heat their homes with oil, drive vehicles, or run energy-intensive businesses, oil prices have been a constant source of concern.  

2/8/2026

 
The Future of Work Has Already Begun: Which Jobs Will Thrive – and Which Could Disappear?

For generations, career advice was relatively straightforward.  Train as a teacher, accountant, engineer, nurse, builder or civil servant and you could reasonably expect decades of stable employment.  

2/8/2026

Research Before You Invest Says Police Scotland

Police Scotland is urging members of the public to exercise caution following a rise in sophisticated investment fraud.   Fraudsters are increasingly targeting individuals through convincing online advertisements, social media campaigns and unsolicited cold calls, often promising high-yield returns with little to no risk.  

2/8/2026

The £100,000 Habit? How Small Everyday Choices Could Transform Your Finances Over 40 Years

For decades we've heard the same financial advice.   Stop smoking - Drink less alcohol - Cut down on takeaway coffees.  

2/8/2026

Nuclear Restoration Services' quarterly virtual supply chain engagement session on 10 September

Join Nuclear Restoration Services' quarterly virtual supply chain engagement session on 10 September at 10:30am.   Hosted by Nuclear Restoration Services managing directors and commercial business partners.  

1/8/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

Economic Development: How Do We Judge Success When Taking Risks Means Some Projects Will Fail?

Economic development organisations are often asked to perform an almost impossible task: transform regions, create jobs and encourage investment in places where the private sector may be reluctant to take risks.  But when some supported projects fail, criticism quickly follows.  

1/8/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

Economic Development or Political Numbers Game? How Should We Judge Organisations Like HIE?

Economic development agencies frequently publish impressive statistics: thousands of jobs created, businesses supported and millions of pounds of investment attracted.  But one question is often much harder to answer: how much of that success actually happened because of their intervention? This is one of the biggest challenges facing organisations such as Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Scottish Enterprise.