Tag: Scottish Government

A £475,000 Scottish Government investment to support the National Film and Television School’s (NFTS) plans to set up a base in Scotland and support new bursaries, in partnership with the BBC, has been announced.The...

Eligible students taking up places on HNC, HND Degree and Postgraduate courses in Colleges and Universities in Scotland should apply now to Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for their tuition fees, bursary and student...

Scotland’s fiscal position improved in 2016-17 according to the latest Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) figures .Overall, the notional deficit fell by £1.3b to stand at 8.3 per cent of GDP. Onshore revenues...

The Scottish Government wants to hear the views on proposals to raise standards and improve the quality of road works, enhance enforcement and provide additional powers for the Scottish Road Works Commissioner.The consultation includes...

Public bodies in Scotland will be required to put reducing poverty and inequality at the heart of their decision making.The introduction of a socio-economic duty was included in the UK Government’s Equality Act 2010,...

A new law which came into force will make it easier to prosecute people who share intimate images without consent.Those convicted of the new offence of ‘disclosing, or threatening to disclose, an intimate photograph...

A consultation is underway on financial support for college and university students.It is part of an independent review chaired by Jayne-Anne Gadhia which is looking at ways to improve how students in Scotland are...

Detailed work on how a potential deposit return scheme might operate in Scotland has been commissioned by the Scottish Government.Deposit return schemes, in existence round the world, see consumers pay a small deposit that...

A vaccination programme for men who have sex with men (MSM) has started in Scotland to protect against the HPV (Human Papillomavirus).The vaccine will be offered to MSM up to and including the age of...

Young disabled people will be able to access a £5m fund to help them live more independent lives, Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell announced this week.The Independent Living Fund (ILF) will provide a short-term...

Views are being sought on the best way to spare child witnesses from having to give evidence during criminal trials.The consultation seeks views on the Government vision that all child witnesses will have their...

Higher Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville has welcomed the publication of new statistics showing 91 per cent of Scotland’s university graduates are going into positive destinations.Statistics released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show...

Transforming services to ensure people with dementia receive the support they need at all ages and stages of the illness is at the centre of Scotland’s third dementia strategy.The government says that the three...

Over 200 projects working to promote equality and address discrimination will benefit from more than £20m investment over the next year.More than £5m will be provided to organisations supporting engagement with communities experiencing prejudice...

The Scottish Government intends to introduce legislation for a soft opt out system of organ and tissue donation.Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell has confirmed plans to bring forward legislation during this Parliament after 82...

Plans by Australian financial services company Computershare to open a new technology centre of excellence in Edinburgh, creating 300 jobs, have been welcomed by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.The company secured a £2m grant from...

A new law which makes if an offence for someone to make alcohol available to a child or young person to drink in public comes into effect today.This is part of an overarching piece of...

Proposals to introduce rod licences and a new wild fisheries levy will not be taken forward, Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham has announced.The Scottish Government has ruled out these measures, as well as the criminalisation...

Scientists at the James Hutton Institute are undertaking research to find ways of growing blueberries in Scotland.The Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham has announced new plant breeding technology being used in a Scottish Government funded...

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay will present his first budget to Holyrood later today, when the Scottish Government can employ its new powers over income tax for the first time. He seemed in relaxed mood yesterday...

Book Week Scotland may not be taking place till the end of next month but this morning the full programme for the fifth national celebration of books and reading was announced. (But not until everyone...

 The SNP manifesto will be launched at the EICC this morning by the party leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.In it the SNP are to pledge what they say is their most ambitious programme...

Police Scotland's  Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams has given a supporting statement in response to the Scottish Government stop and search consultations.The consultations are part of a commitment to ensure the police have appropriate...

By Michael Court One of the less publicised measures in Finance Secretary John Swinney's Budget are giving cause for measured consideration by many commercial Scottish property professionals.The proposal unveiled in December is to limit the...

A second meeting of the Scottish Government's resilience committee has been held, as Storm Frank continues to affect much of Scotland.The First Minister, Deputy First Minister and portfolio Ministers have been updated on the...

The government says that a 40 pence increase in the Living Wage, calculated independently and set by the Living Wage Foundation in partnership with the Poverty Alliance, will benefit thousands of employees at Living Wage-accredited...

A consultation into the best ways of increasing supporter involvement in football clubs has been launched.The Scottish Government is launching the exercise to inform potential future legislation to protect the rights of football fans. The consultation,...

Wave energy company Aquamarine Power has secured a three month contract with Wave Energy Scotland to share knowledge gained through the development of Oyster technology.The work package, known as ‘Project Know-How’, will enable Aquamarine...

A further twenty war memorials across Scotland will be restored to their former glory after being awarded grants totalling £160,000, First Minister Alex Salmond has announced.The money from the latest round of funding from...

by Robert Pearson Over recent years bingo halls have closed all across Edinburgh. Many reasons for that spring to mind especially the introduction of the national smoking ban in certain premises. North Edinburgh’s nearest bingo hall...