News Archive

High Life Highland Is Ready To Welcome Customers Back To Pools And Gyms

High Life Highland have expressed delight at today's announcement from the First Minister that gyms and swimming pools can reopen from Monday 31st August 2020.   Steve Walsh Chief Executive of High life Highland said, "I am absolutely delighted with the news that we are able to welcome our customers back earlier than we had first thought.  

Mens And Womens Time Use Is Converging - But A New Income Divide Is Emerging

Gender differences in the amount of paid and unpaid work people do have shrunk over the past four decades, while the gap between low- and high-income households has grown to create a new ‘working time inequality', according to a major new report published today (Tuesday 28 July 2020) by the Resolution Foundation.   The time of our lives, supported by Trust for London, explores changes in people's time use over the past four decades, how these shifts differ by gender, geography and household income level, and where these trends may head in post-covid Britain.  

UK Households Have Experienced The Biggest Immediate Income Shock Since The Mid-1970s

Policy response has massively boosted poorest households' incomes, but further shocks lie ahead.   The covid-induced crisis has caused typical working-age household incomes to fall 4.5 per cent between the pre-crisis period and May this year, despite the critical policy support that has cushioned the shock for millions of households, according to the Resolution Foundation's Living Standards Audit published on Tuesday 21st July 2020.  

Covid-19 Raises Risk Of Public-sector Fraud

Scotland's public finances have been boosted after a data-sharing exercise identified over £15 million of potential fraud and errors across the public sector.   But auditors have warned that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought additional fraud risks.  

Serco Northlink Ferries Introduces Pet-friendly Cabins On Board

Four-legged friends can now travel with their owners between the Scottish mainland and Orkney and Shetland - thanks to new pet-friendly cabins on NorthLink Ferries passenger vessels MV Hamnavoe, MV Hjaltland and MV Hrossey.   Each ship has two pet-friendly cabins available which have en-suite facilities, side-by-side lower twin bunks and tea and coffee making facilities.  

Contacts From Scottish Public To Charity Crimestoppers Hit Record High During Lockdown

Over the past three months, independent charity Crimestoppers has received a record number of reports from the public across Scotland on domestic abuse, drug dealing and child harm and neglect.   In response to lockdown across Scotland, the charity ran a series of public awareness campaigns to highlight the increased risk of harm and abuse some people would experience.  

Scottish Firms Regain Some Confidence Say Federation Of Small Businesses

Small businesses experience a significant boost to confidence across the UK, but overall levels of confidence in Scotland are still below the UK average.   The FSB Scottish Small Business Index (SBI) increased 144.7 points to reach -10.1 in the second quarter of 2020.  

GMB warns Trumps jobs killer tariffs threaten whisky jobs and economic recovery

GMB Scotland has today (Monday 27 July) warned the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) that Donald Trump's tariff war on whisky will be a "jobs killer" on both sides of the Atlantic and urged the UK Government to "get in the game" and defend the industry.   Responding to the USTR's consultation, Concerning the Enforcement of US WTO Rights in Large Civil Aircraft Dispute, the union for Scotland's whisky and spirits workers said: "On both sides of the Atlantic this tariff war will strangle hopes for economic recovery.  

Nearly 9 In 10 Scots Will Keep Shopping More Online Despite Covid-19 Restrictions Easing

Lockdown has led to Scotland becoming a nation of online shoppers - with millions in Scotland and across the UK planning to continue their digital spending spree despite restrictions being lifted.   In fact, 87% of Scots - nearly 9 in 10 - are planning to shop online at the same level, if not more, as restrictions ease, suggesting that Scots are committed to online shopping for the long haul.  

Scotland's Natural Economy Valued At Over £29 Billion Per Annum

A new report has defined and detailed for the first time the value of the ‘natural economy' to Scotland's overall economic output, finding it represents more than a fifth of the nation's economy.   The natural economy is defined as comprising six sub-sectors that either directly use, rely or contribute to conserving natural resources, namely: tourism, food and drink, fishing and aquaculture, agriculture, energy (including renewables), and forestry, logging and manufacture of wood.