News Archive

8/11/2024

 
Ensuring Trust In AI To Unlock £6.5 Billion Over Next Decade

UK's market for ensuring trustworthy AI systems is poised to grow six-fold over the next decade, as UK also signs AI safety agreement with Singapore.   UK's AI assurance market set to grow six-fold by 2035 unlocking more than £6.5 billion.  

8/11/2024

UK Interest Rates Cut - Here's The Outlook For Property Owners And Home Buyers After The Budget

The main thrusts of the UK government's budget in October 2024 was more borrowing, more tax and more spending.  And within those broad goals lie substantial implications for the housing market.  

8/11/2024

New failure to prevent fraud guidance published

New corporate criminal offence will hold large organisations to account if they profit from fraud.   on 6 November the government published guidance that will provide organisations with important advice on the new corporate criminal offence of ‘failure to prevent fraud', helping make sure they are taking action to prevent fraud.  

8/11/2024

Largest Intake Of Young Workers At Sellafield's Warrington Office

Sellafield Ltd's Warrington office welcomes its largest apprentice and graduate cohort.   The Sellafield Ltd Warrington office, at Hinton House, is bustling with new starters, when it welcomed 22 new degree apprentices and 48 graduates through its doors.  

8/11/2024

Media Minister Launches Forum To Advise On The Future Of Uk Television

Forum will be chaired by Media Minister, Stephanie Peacock MP, and bring together representatives from TV industry and audience groups.   Move comes as DCMS publishes new research showing some households risk being excluded from shift towards online TV consumption.  

8/11/2024

Fraud Crackdown As Government Provides Funding To Serious Fraud Office

New asset confiscation enforcement team and upgrade to SFO's disclosure technology outlined in the budget in a bid to crackdown on fraud says Attorney General.   Serious Fraud Office to receive additional funding to create a new team to improve ability to seize assets and returns to taxpayers and upgrade disclosure capabilities.  

7/11/2024

 
How The Trump Presidency Might Change The Global Economy

Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 election - and his threat to impose tariffs on all imports to the United States - highlights an important problem for the global economy.   The US is a technological powerhouse, spending more than any other country on research and development and winning more Nobel prizes in the last five years than every other country combined.  

7/11/2024

SAE Working With Biggest Names In Sector Towards Delivery Of The Next Phase Of The Meygen Project

Further to the announcement by Proteus Marine Renewables (PMR) that it has signed an MoU with SKF Marine and GE Vernova's Power Conversion business (the "Alliance").   This sets out a framework for the supply of tidal turbine generation systems (TTGS) to developers of tidal arrays for commercial, multi-megawatt tidal stream projects.  

7/11/2024 : Local Authority

Council Launches New Tenant Participation And Engagement Strategy 2024-2029

The Housing and Property Committee met on Wednesday 6 November 2024 and approved the Tenant Participation & Engagement Strategy 2024-2029.  Members heard from both tenant representatives and Officers about the ongoing engagement and collaborative work within communities across Highland.  

7/11/2024

 
Tidal Power Has Potential To Address Energy Challenges Faced By Scottish Coastal Communities

A more creative approach to using power generated locally by tidal energy projects could help businesses and homes around Scotland's coastline become less reliant on expensive and polluting oil and diesel sources of power.  This should remove the need to wait for greater grid capacity, according to a new study.  

7/11/2024

£32m For Four Independent Social And Economic Research Centres

This investment will go to four independent research centres funded by UKRI and ESRC to address a variety of important social and economic topics.   This includes a new centre that will focus on mitigating the effects of, and finding solutions to, the health impacts of the climate crisis.  

7/11/2024

Seven-year Sanction For Middlesbrough Electrician Who Abused Covid Loans

Self-employed electrician abused Government's Covid support scheme.   Shaun David Dixon claimed two separate Bounce Back Loans in two consecutive months.  

7/11/2024

 
Government's Experimental AI Chatbot To Help People Set Up Small Businesses And Find Support

Thousands of small businesses across the country will be able to get help and advice through the UK government's generative AI chatbot.   GOV.UK Chat, the government's experimental chatbot, will be trialled by up to 15,000 business users as it enters the next stage of testing.  

7/11/2024

 
Hemp Licence Burdens To Be Cut Back To Help Grow UK Economy

Hemp to be made easier for farmers to grow as licence burdens reformed.   Reforms to current hemp licence regulations are set to be introduced, making it easier for regulated farmers to grow the crop and maximise its economic potential.  

7/11/2024

Grangemouth's Just Transition - Workforce And Community Asked For Views

Grangemouth's industrial workforce and community are being asked to contribute their views on the future of the area.   A draft plan has been published today as part of work to support a just transition to net zero and support the growth of the area towards a decarbonised economy.  

7/11/2024

Bank Rate Reduced To 4.75% - November 2024

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) sets monetary policy to meet the 2% inflation target, and in a way that helps to sustain growth and employment.  The MPC adopts a medium-term and forward-looking approach to determine the monetary stance required to achieve the inflation target sustainably.  

7/11/2024

Improving Broadband Speeds - Water Pipeline Innovation For Orkney Island Residents

Drinking water pipes are delivering faster and more reliable broadband for the first time in the UK.   Nearly every business and resident in Papa Westray, Orkney, can now receive speeds comparable to less rural areas of Scotland through the Reaching 100% (R100) programme.  

7/11/2024

USA Fed Reserve Reduces Interest Rate By Quarter Percent

Recent indicators suggest that economic activity has continued to expand at a solid pace.  Since earlier in the year, labor market conditions have generally eased, and the unemployment rate has moved up but remains low.  

7/11/2024

Scam Adverts For Advent Calendars

Those looking for advent calendars online are being warned to be wary of social media adverts which lead to scam websites.   Several scam adverts have recently been reported, including ads on Facebook and Instagram offering a luxury advent calendar from cosmetics retailer Space NK worth £250 for only £28.99.  

6/11/2024 : Local Authority

Police - Area Performance Report to Caithness Area Committee on 11 November

A report by the police to the Caithness area committee on 11 November will allow councillors to discuss a range of issues.   Chief Inspector Calum Smith - Area Commander (North Highland Area Command) sets out the crime related figures up to June 2024.