Early estimates for October 2023 indicate that the number of payrolled employees rose by 1.3% compared with October 2022, a rise of 398,000 employees; the number of payrolled employees was up by 4.1% since February 2020, a rise of 1,190,000. This annual increase was largest in the health and social work sector, a rise of 221,000 employees.
Regional, local authority and parliamentary constituency breakdowns of changes in UK employment, unemployment, economic inactivity and other related statistics. For the three months ending July 2023, the highest employment rate estimate in the UK was for the South East (79.6%) and the lowest was for Northern Ireland (71.1%).
Five years ago, our Intergenerational Commission set out the numerous threats to the UK's promise of intergenerational progress. More recently, the spotlight has once again fallen on this issue, but this time in the US, where the latest data has started to suggest that living standards for the millennials are catching up with, and on some measures even surpassing, the generations that came before them.
97% of people said they received payments on time. Social Security Scotland has published its Annual Report and Accounts, which show that it made £641 million in direct payments to people across Scotland from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. The payments were made across 13 Scottish benefits, seven of which are completely new forms of support not available anywhere else in the UK. This includes the Scottish Child Payment which has been extended to eligible children under the age of 16.
McDonald's and Starbucks are among numerous western companies facing consumer boycotts over the Gaza conflict. McDonald's found itself caught in the crossfire after an Israeli franchisee said it was providing thousands of free meals to the Israel Defense Forces.
Activist investors or shareholders can be a powerful force in the corporate world, capable of driving significant change within companies. Their influence can be a force for good.
You don't have to look very hard at the moment to find evidence of the immense financial pressure on UK households. New figures from the Trussell Trust show that 1.5 million emergency food parcels were provided to people between April and September 2023.
HIE awarded Cultarlann Inbhir Nis £176,800 towards the cost of purchasing the Academy Street building. The charity has reached an agreement in principle with the Church of Scotland to buy it.
Delivering fusion energy will require expertise from a wide range of people and industries. This report by The Fusion Cluster is a first-of-a-kind, designed to start conversations that will evolve as fusion moves from the research era to delivering power plants.
The UK economy was flat in the third quarter of 2023, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the country in delivering sustained economic growth over the coming decade, the Resolution Foundation said in response to the latest ONS data. The economy unexpectedly expanded by 0.2 per cent on the month in September, avoiding a recession by the narrowest of margins - for now.
"More of us may feel little choice but to work a year or two longer than planned." Paul Johnson writes for The Times. OK, I know this is a niche irritation but I am prone to a serious outbreak of tutting whenever I see or hear reference to the state retirement age.
Electric cars are getting bigger and heavier. In 2019, 30% of the electric vehicle (EV) models available worldwide were sports utility vehicles (SUVs).
From smart toasters to fitness collars for dogs, we live in a world where everything around us is gradually being connected to the internet and fitted with sensors so that we can interact with them online. Many people worry about the privacy risks of using these devices because they may allow hackers to listen to our conversations at home.
The value of Scottish salmon exports has jumped by 7 per cent in a year as international demand continues to grow. New HMRC data analysed by trade body Salmon Scotland shows that for the first three quarters of 2023 to September there was a rise of £33 million to £478 million.
"Farmers are unknowingly spreading substances like asbestos, antibiotics, medicines, pesticides, and chemicals on their land, contaminating their crops," say environmentalists George Monbiot, Georgia Elliott-Smith and Steve Hynd. They're part of a group called Fighting Dirty which is campaigning to update the law in regard to the amount of chemicals present in sewage sludge (a common fertiliser for farmland).
The software that runs John Deere tractors was successfully "jailbroken" at this year's DEF CON hacker convention, enabling farmers to repair or retune their equipment without engaging with the company that sold them their vehicles. The hacker involved, who calls himself Sick Codes, was responding directly to US farmers' long-standing concerns that their "smart" tractors are run on software that only John Deere can access to repair.
Labour have proposed levying VAT at the main rate of 20% on private school fees. Paul Johnson lays out the facts in 90 seconds.
Members of the Housing and Property Committee met today (Thursday 9 November 2023) and noted the annual performance review of the Highland Housing Register (HHR) Policy for 2022/2023 on housing allocations. The report demonstrates that despite significant challenges the HHR policy is achieving its objectives.
Housing and Property Committee met on Thursday 9 November 2023 and noted the position at the end of the second quarter of the 2023/24, and the estimated year-end financial position. Members also noted the progress of the major works programme, including the revised school programme and the remedial work due to RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) at Charleston Academy and Nairn Academy.
Nestle's Caramac bars have joined Bounty Dark on the long roll call of sweets and snacks that are vanishing from our stores. The home delivery expert ParcelHero says supermarkets’ drive to reduce their range of products is hastening the demise of many former family favourites.
