Further measures have been announced to support Scotland's zoos and aquariums. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced that from 29 June outdoor areas of zoos and gardens will be able to open to the public, provided appropriate measures are put in place to ensure physical distancing and compliance with phase 2 restrictions.
New approach put in place as Scotland moves to Phase 2 of recovery. Face coverings will become mandatory on public transport from Monday 22 June, as part of operators' preparations for progress towards recovery and to reduce the risk of transmission.
HMRC contacted employers today with an update on VAT. As part of the government's support for businesses during COVID-19, HMRC gave businesses the option of deferring their VAT payments if they were unable to pay on time, without incurring late payment interest or penalties.
New powers and measures to align devolved Scots law with those in the European Union after the end of the Brexit transition period have been published. The UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Bill will allow or provide for continuity of provision that would otherwise be lost on withdrawal from the EU.
The COVID-19 small business and self-catering grant scheme, set up to help companies stay in business during the coronavirus crisis, has now paid out over £63 million to 5,892 Highland businesses. Councillor Trish Robertson, Chair of The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee said: "Our staff that are processing applications are still working very hard and thanks to their efforts and to applicants for providing the correct information when they apply, the percentage of grants processed is currently at 99%.
The Employer Bulletin (June 2020, Issue 84) includes all of the latest Covid-19 updates to help you continue to meet your payroll obligations to HMRC and to claim any relevant grants and rebates during this challenging time. We've included the latest update on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, along with updates on the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme and a reminder for reporting Expenses and Benefits for the tax year ending 5 April 2020.
The public body responsible for Cairngorm Mountain acted appropriately when selecting a private company to manage the resort, but tough decisions on its future are now required. Cairngorm Mountain Limited (CML), which operated the mountain's winter sports and leisure activities, went into administration in 2018 following the closure of the funicular railway due to structural problems.
Additional funding of £5.5 million is being made available for renewables projects to contribute towards a green recovery following the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Communities will be able to bid for a share of £4.5 million through the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES), which funds local renewable projects.
Increased animal cruelty penalties and new legal protections for service animals to be introduced. MSPs have supported increased penalties for the worst types of animal cruelty and ‘Finn's law', which gives new legal protections for service animals such as police dogs and horses.
New figures show that prudent budget management is enabling the Scottish Government to maximise its response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The 2019-20 Provisional Budget Outturn reveals a 0.7 per cent underspend on a total budget of £34.6 billion - down from 0.9 per cent the previous year - with all of the £258 million underspend carried forward and most having already been deployed.
Businesses in the Highlands and Islands are being encouraged to bring their costs down with free, one to one, virtual support available from Zero Waste Scotland. Through the recently launched Energy Efficiency Business Support Service, which is supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Zero Waste Scotland is offering small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) energy assessments to identify where simple actions could result in significant financial savings.
CHIEF Executive of The Highland Council, Donna Manson was invited to give evidence at the Scottish Parliament's COVID-19 Committee on Wednesday 17 June. Mrs Manson's advice to the Committee was the importance of a clear and simple national message during the COVID-19 emergency.
New statistics from the Annual Population Survey show that 309,000 young people aged 16 to 24 years were in employment in Scotland in April 2019 to March 2020. The employment rate for young people was 54.8 per cent, lower than a year ago (58.3 per cent).
Following the First Minister's announcement on Tuesday, 16 June 2020, eligible school pupils are to receive free school meals during the summer break to help tackle food poverty. In Highland, P1-3 pupils entitled to school clothing grants and P4-S6 pupils who are eligible for free school meals have been receiving £15 per pupil, per week, which is paid fortnightly using a voucher system.
Scotland's GDP fell by 2.5% during the first quarter of 2020, according to statistics announced today by the Chief Statistician which cover the period from January to March. Over the year, compared to the first quarter of 2019, the economy has contracted by 2.3%.
Highland Council is pleased to report that preparatory work to resume construction activity on three key school projects has commenced. This is a significant step towards the completion of new buildings at Alness Academy and Merkinch Primary, and the refurbishment of Inverness High School.
As at 14 June, 4,070 deaths have been registered in Scotland where the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was mentioned on the death certificate, according to statistics published by National Records of Scotland (NRS) today. Between 8th and 14th June, 70 deaths relating to COVID-19 have been registered, a decrease of 19 from the previous week, 1st to 7th June.
Today, The Highland Council's approach to a phased reopening of schools and Education Learning and Care (ELC) settings in the Highland region was discussed by Members at the Recovery Board. Guided by the national framework, Highland Council will look at the local and individual circumstances of each of it's 203 school and ELC settings to provide the safest and most valuable learning experience possible to its 50,000 children and young people when term resumes in August.
Bad news for the north as Travis Perkins announced 165 branches to close throughout the UK. The Thurso branch of the company will close with the loss of 5 jobs.
Some of you will have been aware of the scandal over the last 20 years of the biggest legal injustice in the UK surrounding the wrongful accusations of fraud by the Post Office against 900 sub-postmasters. The accusations by the Post Office were completely false based on a faulty computer system supplied by Fujitsu called "Horizons".
