The following information is for the period from December 2023 to February 2024. Annual growth in regular earnings (excluding bonuses) was 6.0%, and annual growth in employees' average total earnings (including bonuses) was 5.6%.
Banknotes carrying a portrait of King Charles III will be issued for the first time on 5 June 2024. The portrait of the King will appear on existing designs of all four banknotes (£5, £10, £20 and £50), with no other changes to the existing designs.
Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates have been reweighted for periods from July to September 2022; headline UK seasonally adjusted series before this have been modelled, but other series, including regional, have a discontinuity at this point and because of increased volatility of LFS estimates, estimates of quarterly change should be treated with additional caution. The highest employment rate estimate in the UK was in the South East (78.3%) and the lowest was in Wales (69.1%), for the three months ending February 2024.
MPs to vote on legislation to create first smoke-free generation, protecting young people turning 15 this year or younger from harms of smoking. MPs will vote today (16th April 2024) on world-leading legislation to protect future generations across the UK from the harmful effects of smoking.
The Scottish Parliamentary Information Centre (SPICe) published a blog co-authored by Fraser of AIlander's Chirsty McFadyen and Laura Robertson from the Poverty Alliance on the additional costs of disability. This follows on from a piece of work carried out for the Economy and Fair Work committee that looked at evidence of additional expenditure from survey data and interviews with disabled people.
A council tax freeze will be delivered in all of Scotland's local authorities after Argyll & Bute became the final council to accept Scottish Government funding to keep rates at last year’s levels. As a result, council taxpayers in all but one of Scotland’s council areas will not pay any more for their bills than they did in 2023-24.
The Fair Work Convention published a couple of reports this week, one looking at Fair Work levers (authored by fellow Strathclyders at the Scottish Centre for Employment Research) and the view of those in the industry on how these could/should be used. The report highlights key challenges in the hospitality industry: rising costs, housing and transport availability, retention issues, uneven service demands, and visa restrictions.
See poster 5 April to 28 September.
See poster.
18 years and ovr..
Thursday 25 April Friday 26 April Saturday 27 April 10.30am to 3.30pm each day.
See poster..
Universal Credit (UC) is on track to be fully rolled-out to seven million families by the end of the next parliament, with working renters the main winners. Those with disabilities the main losers from the reform as it faces up to new challenges like rising long-term sickness, according to new Resolution Foundation research published today (Monday 15 April 2024).
Come and have a go at traditional printmaking with Katie Squires, use Katie's own pre made lino print stamps and blocks with colourful inks to make your own prints. ‘I am a self-taught printmaker based in Caithness.
For beginners and music enthusiasts interested in exploring lyric writing and poetry, this workshop is an introduction to the basics of writing a song. Part 1 of a 4 part songwriting series, this workshop explores different techniques for putting pen to paper when writing a song.
‘How are you going to pay for it?' is the question every journalist asks every politician and every campaigner who wants the government to do more. And now there is a way to answer that question.
In a time of economic uncertainty and shifting travel preferences, are multigenerational family holidays still a priority?. Legal & General surveyed over 2,000 UK adults, aged 18 and over, to shed light on how family holidays are changing.
Come and join us for an afternoon of author talks! JD Kirk and Neil Lancaster will be talking about all things books and how they got to be where they are now. There will also be time to answer any questions you might have.
Inspired by Books is the brain child of local artist Katie Squires. The exhibition brings to life how Katies wonderful imagination interprets the compelling stories she loves to read.
A joint initiative between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Football Association is supporting low-income families. Launched by the First Minister with a £2million Scottish Government investment last year, the programme provides before-school, after-school and holiday activities for around 2,700 children each week.
Friday, 19th April 10 amâ2 pm. Saturday, 20th April 10 amâ2 pm.
Gates open to members of the public at 7.30am, the show normally runs until around 5pm. Friday 19th July â Equestrian Events from 10am and gates open at 4pm for the preview evening which normally runs to around 9pm..
Wick Gala Week 27 July to 3 August 2024. .
The Games is the premiere sporting event in the North of Scotland. The prize money of nearly £18,000 is one the best in Scotland and attracts the countryâs best amateur and professional competitors.
Another awesome free workshop for kids! This is going to be lots of fun! ðð If you have a budding artist in your home, book them on to come and have a go at some graffiti art at the Greenhouses gardens. ð» Places are limited - and booking is recommended early - as we think this is going to be popular.
We are inviting everyone who would like to learn how to grow their own food to grab this exciting opportunity! You will get a chance to learn from experienced growing experts, whilst helping the busy gardenersâ team at the Castle and Gardens of Mey with planting their vegetables. You will get pro tips on growing potatoes, leeks, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, kale and other vegetables, specific to our climate and area! Booking is essential for this event.
"For the decades of pain that you have suffered, I offer today a sincere and heartfelt and unreserved apology. We were wrong." One year ago, on March 22 2023, the then first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, stood up at Holyrood and said sorry for the Scottish government's role in historic forced adoptions.
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The newly relaunched Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has announced a landmark collaboration with the renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe which will open up the Film Festival programme in new venues across the city including non-traditional cinema spaces at Summerhall and the heart of the Fringe footprint. From August 15 to August 21 2024, the 77th edition of EIFF will see film embedded in the August festival ecosystem, allowing audiences to seamlessly experience the best of the Fringe along with the world-class programme of cinema at EIFF.
Wick's Town and County Hospital's Garden took receipt of a replacement boat which was renovated and repaired by Wick Community Payback clients. The boat was donated to the hospital by Community Payback Supervisor Bob Miller and repaired and re-painted in the Community Payback workshop in Wick.
Caithness Voluntary Group has moved to a new home. Leaving Telford Street to go to Pulteney House.
Chaidh ainmeachadh gun tèid 22mh Duaisean Ceòl Traidiseanta na h-Alba aig MG ALBA a chumail ann an Cathair-bhaile Inbhir Nis, a' toirt spionnadh mòr dhan eaconamaidh ionadail. Thug Mgr Thoumire, Stiùiriche Cruthachail Hands Up for Trad, seachad an deagh naidheachd do Bhuill aig Comataidh Gàidhlig na Comhairle.
Gheibh na ceudan de dh'òigridh ann an coimhearsnachdan air feadh Alba cothrom a dhol an sàs ann am Fèisean a’ tachairt rè shaor-làithean na Càisge eadar Nis, Port Rìgh, Inbhir Nis, An t-Òban, Obar Dheathain agus Glaschu. Bidh iad a’ faighinn oideachadh luachmhor ann an ceòl traidiseanta, dràma, òrain Ghàidhlig, dannsa agus ealain bho luchd-teagaisg air leth comasach.
Tuition in a variety of instruments : fiddle, guitar, chanter, drums and keyboard..
Come along and enjoy a Ceilidh/dance night with music provided by Will Mackay & friends (Chiels) and Geordie Jack. Raffle plus refreshments will be available.
A chance to hear a discussion about rural health. Without a doubt, one of the most important discussions we will host in 2024.
UK artists will earn new royalties when their work is resold in Australia through the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement. UK creative sector set for boost as new measures ensure British artists are paid fairly when their work is resold Down Under.
As the number of adverts on digital platforms promoting illegal waste collection services hits an all-time high, Scotland's environmental regulator is tackling environmental criminality in the online world. The digital regulation pilot led by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has already identified that between 50 to 60% of businesses advertising on social media could be breaking the law by operating without holding the required waste carrier licence - and people handing over their waste may be contributing to flytipping and other waste crime.
The number of overdue invoices in Scotland reached a 16-month high in February, according to new research from R3, the UK's insolvency and restructuring trade body. R3's analysis of data provided by Creditsafe shows that business in Scotland had 428,824 unpaid invoices on their books last month - the highest monthly total since October 2022’s figure of 593,114.
The Gaelic committee of Highland council met on 28th March 2024 and one of the papers for discussion was the Blas 2023 Festival Report. Cuts have already reduced the scale of the festival compared to previous years and future years will be no easier for the organisers unless it can become more commercial and run in the face of ever diminishing council and government funding.
Efforts are being made to find help for thousands of visually-impaired users of a charity that is being wound up. The board of Dingwall-based Sight Action Sensory Services says it is no longer viable due to funding cuts.
The Scottish Government is currently conducting a substantial review of permitted development rights (PDR) as part of its wider planning reform programme. The review is being taken forward on a phased basis, with each phase focusing on new and extended PDR for specific types of development.
Scotland's culture and creative sector will be helped to flourish on the world stage with the launch of Inspiring Connections: Scotland's International Culture Strategy 2024-30, according to Culture Secretary Angus Robertson. The strategy sets out the value of international activity to Scotland's culture and creative sector.
Residents joined local artists to celebrate completion of the community-led Wick Lanes Pocket Places project in the town this week. The project has seen the installation of a series of durable, long-lasting interventions in and around the lanes to bring life and colour back to the area.
Orbex, the only UK owned orbital launch services and rocket manufacturing company, has successfully patented its REFLIGHT reusable rocket technology following patent approval in several European markets as well as the United States. This protection was based on the patent grant by the European Patent Office.
Recently pupils and leaders from Step Forward Wick Youth had the opportunity to help out in our local community. Along with Wick Development Trust and The Countryside Rangers they managed to plant 300 trees along the Wick Riverside to help provide some woodland areas along the riverside, giving the local wildlife shelter and a food source too.
A new high-quality toilet facility to help alleviate pressures at Gairloch has now opened. The project was brought to fruition by a community partnership driven by Gairloch Area Development Ltd, supported by The Highland Council and Visit Scotland.
Black liquorice may look and taste like an innocent treat, but this candy has a dark side. On 23 September 2020, doctors reported that black liquorice was the culprit in the death of a 54-year-old man in Massachusetts.
Charities providing support to pregnant women, new mums and their families are to share £1.5 million expand and enhance their mental health and wellbeing services. It has been estimated that up to 20% of mums and up to 10% of dads are affected by poor mental health in the perinatal period.
A community project to extend a museum in Dornoch has been able to enhance its environmental credentials after securing a £30,157 investment from HIE. The £560,000 project to extend the Historylinks Museum is being taken forward by Dornoch Heritage SCIO, the community group that operates the attraction.
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