News Archive

29/9/2024

Scottish Councils Withdraw Support For The National Care Service - What Next?

COSLA announced earlier today (27 September 2024) that council leaders had voted to withdraw support for the National Care Service.   The introduction of the service, which originally would have moved responsibility for commissioning social care from local authorities to a central body, had been delayed already until 2028-29 due to concerns with rising costs.  

29/9/2024

 
Policy Action Needed To Help Millions Of Self-employed Workers Better Prepare For Their Retirement

How well prepared for retirement are self-employed workers and what options do policymakers have to encourage more pension saving?.   For over a decade, pension participation for the self-employed has been stuck at very low levels, with only 20% of self-employed workers earning over £10,000 saving in a private pension (0.5 million out of 2.3 million).  

29/9/2024

 
Fiscal Rules And Investment In The Upcoming Budget

The government is reportedly considering a change to the debt rule to allow for more borrowing for investment.  The Institute for Fiscal Studies considers some of the options.  

28/9/2024

 
Military Assistance To Ukraine Since The Russian Invasion From UK And Other Countries

What weapons and other military support have been given to Ukraine by the UK, the US and its allies and partners since Russia invaded the country in February 2022? This report is from the House of Commons library.   Defence and security links between Ukraine, NATO members and other allies and partners started soon after Ukraine's independence in 1991.  

28/9/2024

SAE Renewables MeyGen Phase 1 tidal array continues to break records

SAE Renewables Limited (LON:SAE) has announced its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2024.   Key Highlights · SAE received £7.0 million from the land sale contract with EL (Uskmouth) Ltd.  

28/9/2024

 
Even If You Only Keep One Bird You May Have To Register By 1 December 2024

Anyone who keeps birds, even a single bird, must register on the Scottish Kept Birds Register (SKBR) by 1 December 2024.  This is a legal requirement.  

28/9/2024

Penalty Issued For Breaches Linked To Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine

OFSI announces monetary penalty for breaches of UK financial sanctions imposed on Russia linked to its illegal invasion of Ukraine.   The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) has issued a monetary penalty to Integral Concierge Services (ICSL) for breaches of the financial sanctions regime imposed on Russia in response to its illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022.  

28/9/2024

Europe Moves Without USA - $39 Billion Loan Immediately To Ukraine Budget

As Ukraine war enters a critical period, the EU moves ahead without the US.   As the war in Ukraine enters a critical period, the European Union has decided that it must take responsibility for what it sees as an existential threat to security in its own neighborhood and is preparing to tackle some of the financial burden, perhaps even without the United States.  

27/9/2024 : Advisory / Counseling Services

 
Grants To Help Businesses And Social Enterprises Cut Carbon

Businesses and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands looking to reduce the environmental impacts of their operations can now apply to a new Green Grant Fund launched on Thursday 26 September 2024.   The three-year £2.7m fund was developed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).  

27/9/2024 : Advisory / Counseling Services

 
New Support Programme Launched For Food And Drink Sector

Food and Drink TechHUB will provide financial and advice support to help businesses, including social and community enterprises, with commercial growth and net zero transition activities.   Small to medium sized enterprises in the Highland Council area that operate in the food and drink sector and its supply chain are expected to benefit from a new programme of support launched his week.  

27/9/2024 : Advisory / Counseling Services

 
NDA Group Investing In Our Communities

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group has on 26 September 2024 published its 2023 to 2024 socio-economic report detailing a record investment in projects across the UK.   Over the last five years, the NDA group has invested £60 million in projects that enable permanent and sustainable change in its site communities, leveraging many millions more from partners.  

27/9/2024

 
Make September Birth Boom A Bank Account Boon - Claim Child Benefit using the HMRC app

Claim Child Benefit using the HMRC app and receive payment within a week.   With around 2,000 babies born on 26 September each year, more than any other day, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is urging parents to claim their Child Benefit entitlement.  

27/9/2024

 
UK Defence Supply Chain Bolstered To Support Armed Forces

A semiconductor factory has been acquired by Ministry of Defence in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, boosting UK defence capabilities.   The UK's Armed Forces will be further bolstered as a crucial supply chain to UK defence has been secured today, after the government acquisition of a key semiconductor factory in the north-east.  

27/9/2024

 
Immediate Measures To Step Up Safeguards Against African Swine Fever From Europe

The mitigation measures will help to prevent the spread of ASF across the border, protecting the pig sector worth over £8 billion to the UK economy.   Immediate measures have been introduced to protect pig farmers and industry from an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak.  

27/9/2024

 
DVSA Issues Warning About Parking Fine Scam Text Messages

The Scams just keep coming and cover more and more aspects of our lives.   So you better assume that most unknown contacts have an ulterior motive to get your money.  

27/9/2024

 
UK To Speed Up Military Kit Deliveries To Support Ukraine's Fight

The Government is set to surpass its commitment to deliver 12 AS90 artillery guns within 100 days of taking office, with 16 units now on course to be delivered.   The UK will send more vital artillery guns to support Ukraine's fight against Russia’s illegal invasion after the UK recommits to £3 billion a year of military support for Ukraine until 2030/31 and for as long as it takes.  

26/9/2024

 
Building Climate Resilience - Plan To Help Communities Understand How Climate Change Impacts Their Lives

Communities and businesses across Scotland will be given support and tools to help tackle the unavoidable impacts of climate change as part of the Scottish Government's new National Adaptation Plan.   The Scottish National Adaptation Plan 2024-2029 (SNAP3) sets out a comprehensive suite of more than 200 actions and proposals for managing the current and future impacts of climate change in Scotland.  

26/9/2024

NHS Scotland Consultants Pay Offer - 10.5% Uplift To Basic Pay

Consultants across Scotland have been offered a £124.9 million investment in their pay and reward package ensuring it is competitive with other UK nations.   The offer, if accepted by trade unions, will see the investment applied as a 10.5% uplift to basic pay and an investment of £5.7 million in other contractual elements.  

26/9/2024 : Other Public Services

 
What Is Thorp? - Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant

Today, the ponds inside the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (or as we like to call it, Thorp) are used to store nuclear fuel that has been used in the UK's 7 operational nuclear reactors.   Before taking on this new mission, Thorp reprocessed 9,000 tonnes of used nuclear fuel from around the world, generating an estimated £9 billion in revenue for the UK over 2 decades.  

26/9/2024

Investing £100 Million In Mid-market Rent

The construction of 2,800 mid-market rent homes will be supported by £100 million of investment from the Scottish Government.   As announced as part of the 2024-25 Programme for Government, funding will be used alongside institutional investment - such as pension funds - to grow to at least £500 million.