Michael Callan becomes High Commissioner in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Mr. Callan replaces Arif Keshani.
Michael Callan (BA Hons [Political Studies], Queen’s University, 2000; MSc Econ [International Security], University of Wales, Aberystwyth, 2002). Prior to joining Global Affairs Canada, Michael Callan served in the Canadian Armed Forces and worked with the Aga Khan Foundation in Bangladesh and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Moscow. Upon joining the Canadian International Development Agency in 2004, Mr. Callan took on assignments with the Humanitarian Assistance Division and the Afghanistan Task Force. Abroad, Mr. Callan was the Government of Canada’s first civilian deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he served as director, development, for Canada’s Provincial Reconstruction Team (2005 to 2006). His subsequent deployments included assignments as head of aid in Khartoum (2008 to 2010) and director, development, for the Middle East and North Africa in Cairo and Amman (2012 to 2016). He was then seconded to the Privy Council Office (2016 to 2017) before taking up a fellowship with the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University (2018). Mr. Callan served as director of conflict prevention, stabilization and peacebuilding (2019 to 2021) prior to his most recent assignment as ambassador to Algeria (2021 to 2024).
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Today, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves delivered a Budget to fix the foundations of our economy.
Chancellor protects public services as departments’ day-to-day spending set to grow by an average of 3.3% in real terms between 2023-24 and 2025-26, including increase of more than £22 billion for health to help bring down waiting lists.
Budget will restore economic stability and begin a decade of national renewal, providing a boost to public investment by over £100 billion over the next five years across roads, rail, schools and hospitals whilst keeping debt on a downward path.
No change to working people’s payslips as income tax, employee national insurance and VAT stay the same, but businesses and the wealthiest asked to pay more.
The Chancellor has delivered a Budget to fix the foundations to deliver on the promise of change after a decade and a half of stagnation. She has set out plans to fix the NHS and rebuild Britain, while ensuring working people don’t face higher taxes in their payslips.
The government was handed a challenging inheritance; £22 billion of unfunded in-year spending pressures, debt at its highest since the 1960s, unrealistic plans for departmental spending, and stagnating living standards.
As a mission-led government, the Chancellor has today made clear the difficult choices this government will make to rebuild the country. This Budget takes the difficult decisions on tax, spending and welfare to restore economic and fiscal stability, so that the government can invest in the country’s future and achieve its mission for growth. This means hospital waiting lists will be cut with room to invest in Britain to rebuild our schools, hospitals and broken roads.
The government is protecting working people’s living standards by raising the National Living Wage, cutting duty on draught pints, keeping bus fares down, and not increasing the main rates of income tax, employee national insurance, and VAT.
The Budget will help rebuild Britain by boosting public investment by over £100 billion over the next five years while exceeding the manifesto commitment to fix an extra 1 million potholes per year with an additional £500 million for local road maintenance in 2025-26.
Fixing the NHS and reforming public services
By repairing the public finances and restoring economic stability, the Budget delivers on a new settlement for public services, increasing day to day spending for public services by 3.3% on average in real terms over this year and next to fix the NHS, boost the education system and repair the criminal justice system.
This government has been clear from the start it will not tolerate wasteful spending – and that means treating taxpayers’ money with respect. For the next financial year, all government departments have a 2% productivity, efficiency, and savings target, that is expected to save billions of pounds.
The Chancellor has confirmed an additional £22.6 billion for day-to-day spending over two years for the Department of Health and Social care, supporting the NHS to deliver an extra 40,000 elective appointments per week, delivering on one of the Government’s first aims in office to reduce waiting times in the NHS.
The government is investing around £1.5 billion capital funding for new surgical hubs, diagnostic scanners and new beds across the NHS estate to create more treatment space in emergency departments, reduce waiting times and help shift more care into the community.
£100 million will be earmarked to carry out 200 GP estate upgrades across England, supporting improved use of existing buildings and space, boosting productivity and enabling delivery of more appointments.
The Chancellor has focused on improving education as part of her first Budget, with an additional £4 billion for the sector, including £2.3 billion into the core schools’ budget which increases per pupil spending in real terms.
This will allow 100 project plans to begin delivery across England next year and begin to tackle the crumbling school and college buildings across the country. This paves the way for a long-term strategy to improve schools nationwide so that students can learn in safe, state-of-the-art facilities, tailored to the needs of 21st-century education.
The Chancellor will provide £1.4 billion for the school rebuilding programme, including an increase of £550 million this year.
In addition to these commitments, this government is securing our borders and taking back our streets.
The new Border Security Command will smash the organised criminal gangs by deploying 100 new NCA officers and increasing cooperation with European intelligence agencies and police forces.
Smashing gangs and boosting the processing of asylum claims forms a crucial part of the government’s plan to cut asylum support costs by more than £4bn over the next 2 years compared to the previous government’s spending trajectory.
The Home Office settlement will put us on track to start delivering the manifesto pledge to boost visible neighbourhood policing with 13,000 more neighbourhood officers and PCSOs.
Protecting working people and living standards
While fixing the inheritance requires tough decisions, the Chancellor has committed to protecting the living standards of working people. The decisions taken by the Chancellor to rebuild public finances enable the government to deliver on its pledge to not increase National Insurance, VAT, or Income Tax on working people, meaning they will not see higher taxes in their payslip. In addition:
The Chancellor has made the decision to protect working people from being dragged into higher tax brackets by confirming that Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions thresholds will be unfrozen from 2028-29 onwards.
The National Living Wage will increase from £11.44 to £12.21 an hour from April 2025, which means a pay boost for 3 million workers. The 6.7% increase – worth £1,400 a year for a full-time worker – is a significant move towards delivering a genuine living wage. The National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20-year-olds will also rise from £8.60 to £10.00 an hour.
The Chancellor is also protecting motorists by freezing fuel duty for one year and extending the temporary 5p cut to 22 March 2026 – a tax cut worth £3 billion. This will save the average car driver £59, vans £126 and Heavy Goods Vehicles £1,079 next year.
To support the take-up of zero emission cars, Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) First Year Rates (FYRs) are changing from 2025-26. Rates for zero emission cars will be frozen at £10 until 2029-30 while rates for hybrid and petrol/diesel cars will rise from 1 April 2025.
The weekly earnings limit for Carer’s Allowance will be increased to 16 hours at the National Living Wage, worth an additional £45 a week from April next year, making over 60,000 carers eligible for support, and helping carers to balance work and caring responsibilities. This is the largest ever increase to the earnings limit and provides certainty for carers with a commitment that the earnings limit will increase with the National Living Wage in the future.
To help ensure pensioners are protected in their retirement, the Budget will also confirm a 4.1% increase to the basic and new State Pension as well as the standard minimum guarantee for Pension Credit, from April next year.
Over 12 million pensioners will benefit from this as the full new State Pension will rise from £221.20 to £230.25 a week, providing an additional £470 a year, while the full basic State Pension will increase from £169.50 to £176.45 per week, worth an extra £360 annually.
The Pension Credit Standard Minimum Guarantee will also increase by 4.1% from April 2025, meaning an annual increase of £465 in 2025-26 in the single pensioner guarantee and £710 in the couple guarantee.
The administration of Pension Credit and Housing Benefit will be brought together for new claimants from 2026. This is two years earlier than previously planned, and will support more people to receive the benefits that they are entitled to.
In addition, working-age benefits and the Additional State Pension will rise by 1.7% in April 2025, in line with inflation. This increase will see around 5.7 million families on Universal Credit gain an average of £150 annually.
Rebuilding Britain
This government will not make a return to austerity and will instead boost investment to rebuild Britain by investing in the fabric of the country, as well as supporting the industries of the future. This will go towards rebuilding our schools, hospitals and roads, turbocharging the delivery of 1.5 million homes, and unlocking long-term economic growth.
This comes on top of action already taken under the government’s growth mission including establishing the National Wealth Fund, publishing the Industrial Strategy green paper, and hosting the International Investment Summit.
The government is exceeding its manifesto commitment to fix an extra 1 million potholes per year, with an additional £500 million for local road maintenance in 2025-26 – an almost 50% increase on the commitment made by the previous government for the current financial year.
This brings the total amount dedicated to fixing the roads in England over the next year to nearly £1.6 billion.
This government is growing day-to-day spending at an average of 2.0% per year in real terms between 2023-24 and 2029-30 to support public services.
This government is boosting public investment by over £100 billion over the next five years whilst keeping debt on a downward path, with a greater focus on value for money and delivery to help unlock long-term growth.
Capital investment will increase by £13 billion next year, taking total departmental capital spending to £131 billion in 2025-26. This includes increased investment in local roads maintenance and local transport, supporting everyday journeys, and driving growth in our regional towns and cities.
The government is also making the reforms needed to deliver sustained growth in the long-term. These include ambitious planning reforms to remove barriers to growth, the development of a 10-year infrastructure strategy to be published alongside Phase 2 of the Spending Review, the publication shortly of the Get Britain Working White Paper, and the establishment of Skills England to ensure we have the highly-trained workforce needed to deliver economic growth.
An extra £200 million will be given to Metro Mayors for local transport in 2025/26, bringing City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements to over £1.3 billion.
The government is also announcing over £650 million for improving transport in towns, villages, and rural areas alongside our city regions.
Single bus fares will be kept down at £3 until the end of 2025, as part of an over £1bn package to support bus services across the country.
To fully harness its potential and foster a dynamic investment economy, the government is protecting record levels of government R&D investment with £20.4 billion allocated in 2025-26.
To boost digital infrastructure in under-served areas across the UK and support growth in the digital and technology sectors, the government will invest over £500 million in Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network next year.
A new housing package will include £500 million in new funding for the Affordable Homes Programme, increasing it to £3.1 billion, the biggest annual budget for affordable housing in over a decade. This brings total investment in housing supply to over £5 billion and supports the delivery of tens of thousands of new homes.
£3 billion of additional support will be provided to SMEs and the Build to Rent sector by expanding existing housing guarantee schemes to support a strong and diverse private housing market.
The Budget also began the government’s reform of business rates to help level the playing field for high streets across the country as from 2026-27 permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties will be introduced. This will be funded sustainably by introducing a higher multiplier for the most valuable properties, including distribution warehouses used by online giants.
To support the transition, the Chancellor also announced a 40% relief for retail, hospitality and leisure, up to a cap of £110,000 per business. The small business multiplier will also be frozen next year to protect against inflationary increases. This support is worth almost £2.4 billion over the next five years. One third of business properties will continue to pay no business rates because of Small Business Rates Relief.
Repairing public finances
The Chancellor has made clear that, whilst protecting working people with measures to reduce the cost of living, there would be difficult decisions required on tax. The Budget will ask businesses and the wealthiest to pay their fair share while making taxes fairer. This will go directly towards fixing the foundations and funding public services such as the NHS and education.
The rate of employer National Insurance will increase by 1.2 percentage points, to 15% from 6 April 2025. The Secondary Threshold – the level at which employers become liable to pay national insurance on each employee’s salary – will reduce from £9,100 per year to £5,000 per year.
The smallest businesses will be protected as the Employment Allowance will increase to £10,500 from £5,000 and be extended to all eligible employers by removing the £100,000 cap, allowing firms to employ up to four National Living Wage workers full time without paying employer National Insurance on their wages.
Capital Gains Tax (CGT) will increase from 10% to 18% for those paying the lower rate, and 20% to 24% for those paying the higher rate. These new rates will match the residential property rates, which will unchanged at 18 for the lower rate and 24% for the higher rate.
To encourage entrepreneurs to invest in their businesses, Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR) will remain at 10% this year, before rising to 14% on 6 April 2025 and 18% from 6 April 2026-27.
The OBR say changes to CGT will raise £2.5 billion by the end of the forecast and the UK will continue to have the lowest CGT rate of any European G7 country.
Inheritance tax thresholds will be fixed at their current levels for a further two years until April 2030. More than 90% of estates each year will not pay inheritance tax. From April 2027 inherited pension pots will be subject to inheritance tax. This removes a distortion which has led to pensions being used as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth rather than their original purpose to fund retirement.
From April 2026, agricultural property relief and business property relief will be reformed. The highest rate of relief will continue at 100% for the first £1 million of combined business and agricultural assets on top of the existing nil-rate bands, fully protecting the majority of businesses and farms. The rate of relief will reduce to 50% after the first £1 million. Reforms will affect the wealthiest 2,000 estates each year. Inheritance tax reforms are predicted by the OBR to raise £2 billion in total to support public services.
The government will also uprate alcohol duty in line with RPI, except for most drinks in pubs. To support British pubs, and brewers, the government is reducing duty on qualifying draught products, which represent approximately 3 in 5 alcoholic drinks sold in pubs.
This measure reduces duty bills by over £85 million a year, cutting duty on an average strength pint in a pub by a penny. The value of the relief available to small producers will also be increased to help smaller brewers and cidermakers.
From 2026-27 Air Passenger Duty (APD) rates for short and long-haul flights will be adjusted to partially account for previous high inflation. For economy passengers, this is only a £1 increase for domestic flights, £2 extra for short haul, and £12 more for long-haul flights, with children under the age of 16 remaining exempt from APD. APD for larger private jets will be increased by a further 50%. These changes will help align with the government’s environmental objectives.
To further support the government’s mission to fix the NHS, the Budget announces a package of measures that disincentivise activities that cause ill health, by:
Renewing the tobacco duty escalator which increases all tobacco duty rates by RPI+2% plus an above escalator increase to hand rolling tobacco (totalling RPI+12%).
Introducing a new vaping duty at a flat rate of 22p/ml from October 2026, accompanied by a further one-off increase in tobacco duty to maintain financial incentive to choose vaping over smoking.
To help tackle obesity and other harms caused by high sugar intake, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy will increase over the next five years to account for inflation since it was last updated in 2018, and the duty will also rise in line with inflation every year going forward.
The government set out the next steps to deliver its tax manifesto commitments in the July Statement. Having consulted on the final policy details where appropriate, Budget delivers the government’s manifesto commitments to raise revenue to pay for first steps, with reforms that are underpinned by fairness, and tackle tax avoidance by:
A new residence-based regime will replace the current non-dom regime from April 2025 and will be designed to attract investment and talent to the UK.
Offshore trusts will no longer be able to be used to shelter assets from Inheritance Tax, and there will be transitional arrangements in place for people who have made plans based on current rules.
The planned 50% reduction for foreign income in the first year of the new regime will be removed.
Reforms to the non-dom regime will raise a total of £12.7 billion according to the OBR.
The tax treatment of carried interest will be reformed by first increasing the Capital Gains Tax rates on carried interest to 32% and then, from April 2026, moving to a revised regime – with bespoke rules to reflect the characteristics of the reward.
The Higher Rate for Additional Dwellings surcharge of Stamp Duty Land Tax will rise from 3 to 5%, providing those looking to move home, or purchase their first property, with a comparative advantage over second home buyers, landlords, and businesses purchasing residential property.
To secure additional funding to help deliver commitments relating to education and young people, the government will introduce 20% VAT on education and boarding services provided for a charge by private schools from 1 January 2025. The government will also remove business rates charitable rate relief from private schools in England from April 2025.
Over the next five years HMRC, will look to close the UK’s tax gap – the amount of uncollected tax owed to the UK – by bringing in an additional £6.5 billion per year. The revenue will go directly to funding UK public services and fixing the foundations of the economy.
The package to close the tax gap will include overhauling HMRC’s IT system to improve their debt management system to ensure tax debt enquiries can be dealt with faster, improving the productivity of the organisation. 5000 additional compliance staff will be recruited and 1,800 debt management staff will also be maintained and recruited. HMRC’s services will be also digitised to make it easier and simpler for taxpayers to self-serve and manage their tax affairs.
The government has also published its Corporate Tax Roadmap alongside the Budget. This will offer the certainty that encourages investment and gives business the confidence to grow. The Roadmap includes commitments:
to cap the headline rate of Corporation Tax at 25%, which is the lowest in the G7;
to maintain our world leading capital allowances system (including permanent full expensing and the £1 million Annual Investment Allowance);
to preserve the generosity of our R&D reliefs; and
to develop a new process for increasing the tax certainty available in advance for major investments.
Strengthening the fiscal framework
The Chancellor has paved the way for growth while doubling down on fiscal responsibility by making reforms to the fiscal framework. This is based on two new fiscal rules: the stability rule and the investment rule.
The stability rule will balance the current budget, so day-to-day costs are met by revenues.
The investment rule will ensure that net financial debt is falling as a proportion of GDP. This rule keeps debt on a sustainable path whilst allowing the step change needed for investment.
Both of these rules will be met two years early in 2027-28.
This investment will be underpinned by clear guardrails to ensure it is high quality and well delivered.
Our ten-year infrastructure strategy will provide industry a vision of the government’s priorities and a credible delivery plan to encourage investment and supply chains.
NISTA will be the central body that brings strategy and delivery together under one roof to implement this strategy working across Whitehall and industry.
Further reforms will help deliver stability by holding Spending Reviews every two years, setting plans for at least three years to ensure public services are always planned and improve value for money. One major fiscal event per year will give families and businesses stability and certainty on tax and spending changes.
The Fiscal Lock will ensure no future government can sideline the OBR again, and we are committing to improving the transparency and consistency of the spending information shared with the OBR.
The government will also introduce new controls: that financial investments should by default target a return for the Exchequer that at least covers the government’s cost of borrowing, that all large-scale financial transactions will be managed by expert bodies like the National Wealth Fund, and that the government will publish an annual report on the performance and value of its financial assets based on accounts audited by the National Audit Office.
Two individuals also pleaded guilty to misbranding N95 masks and conspiracy to commit price gouging
BOSTON – A Florida company, and two individuals associated with the company, have pleaded guilty to charges associated with shipping facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators, and price gouging hospitals, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
JDM Supply LLC (JDM) pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to introduce misbranded devices into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Daniel Motha, 40, of Miami, Fla., and Jeffrey Motha, 36, of Norfolk, Mass., also pleaded guilty to one count of introduction of misbranded devices into interstate commerce and one count of conspiracy to commit price gouging in violation of the Defense Production Act. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Daniel Motha and Jeffrey Motha on March 4, 2025 and JDM on March 25, 2025. In August 2023, a third individual, Jason Colantuoni of Norfolk, Mass, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit price gouging in connection with this investigation.
In the spring of 2020, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, JDM and a company identified as “Company 1” conspired to ship facemasks that were misbranded as National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved, N95 respirators. One hospital accepted and paid for hundreds of thousands of purported N95 masks that were manufactured by Company 1 and sold by JDM. Ultimately, the hospital did not use the masks, which were eventually returned to Company 1. JDM misled the hospital into believing that the Company 1 masks were NIOSH-approved N95s, when in fact they were not.
In August 2020, a NIOSH lab tested a sample of the Company 1 masks that had been shipped to the hospital. The masks tested between 83.94% and 93.24% filtration efficiency, thus falling below the 95% minimum level of filtration efficiency required for N95 respirators.
Daniel Motha and Jeff Motha conspired to use JDM to exploit and profit off of the critical need of hospitals and healthcare workers for scarce N95 masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. They accumulated N95 masks from various sources and then sold the N95 masks through JDM to hospitals in Massachusetts, and elsewhere, at prices in excess of the prevailing market price.
The charge of conspiracy to introduce or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce a misbranded device with intent to defraud or mislead, brought against JDM, provides for a fine of $500,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss of the offense, whichever is greater and up to five years of probation. The charge of introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce a misbranded device provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison; up to one year of supervised release; and a fine of $100,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit price gouging in violation of the Defense Production Act provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison; up to one year of supervised release; and a fine of up to $10,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Brady and Howard Locker of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
Labour could have taxed the super rich to bring in the funding needed to undo cruel Tory policies and drop Labour’s own cuts
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A response from Scottish Green finance spokesperson Ross Greer on the UK budget.
Mr Greer said: “This timid budget is a drop in the ocean compared to the scale of change that is actually needed. Labour has under-promised and still somehow under-delivered.
“The failure to end the cruel two child cap or the Winter Fuel Payment cut will have dire consequences for vulnerable people and families across the UK. Children will continue to live in poverty and pensioners will die this winter, all entirely avoidably.
“The Chancellor could have targeted the super rich to bring in the funding needed to undo cruel Tory policies and drop Labour’s own cuts. Instead she has chosen to hike up bus fares in England and pour £3 billion into keeping a climate-busting fuel duty freeze.
“A responsible government would invest in cheaper public transport and walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure. The Scottish Greens did both of those during our time in government, delivering free bus travel for young people and removing peak rail fares. Labour have instead chosen to encourage even more car journeys while the climate crisis spirals out of control.
“There are a few important steps in the right direction in this budget, such as the increase in tax on private jets. The Scottish Greens have led calls for this and whilst it doesn’t go as far as we would like, it is progress on one of the most incredibly polluting forms of travel.
“What was missing was any confirmation from the Chancellor that she will take the necessary steps to finish the ten-year process of devolving Air Passenger Duty and allowing Scotland to make these decisions for ourselves.
“There were also some deeply disappointing announcements. The social security section of the speech could have been lifted straight from the nastiest Tory conference speeches. Labour are continuing the Conservative tactic of punching down at vulnerable people when there is so much more money being lost through tax avoidance by the super-rich.”
Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland
The North Antrim MP said:
“Whereas restoration of the City Deals is welcome, this is a budget which will stymie growth, especially in an economy like Northern Ireland’s which is so dominated by SMEs.
“Small business is bearing the burden of this budget with the broken promise hike in national insurance and above inflation increase to the living wage.
“Swinging tax increases suppress, not encourage, growth.
“The assault on inheritance tax relief for farmers is a big blow to many family farms.
“Also, with no assured additional funding beyond 2026/27, the NI budget has not received the stability it needs.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
The UK Chancellor delivered the Autumn Budget today (Wednesday 30 October 2024)
Autumn Budget 2024
Chancellor takes long-term decisions to restore stability, rebuild the United Kingdom and protect working people across Northern Ireland.
No change to working people’s payslips as employee national insurance, income tax and VAT stay the same, but businesses and the wealthiest asked to pay their fair share.
Record £18.2 billion for the Northern Ireland Executive in 2025/26 including an additional £1.5 billion through the Barnett formula.
City and Growth Deals confirmed to continue to unlock growth and investment, while over £45 million is provided for counter-terrorism and security funding.
The Chancellor has delivered a Budget to fix the foundations to deliver on the promise of change after a decade and a half of stagnation. She set out plans to rebuild the United Kingdom, while ensuring working people across Northern Ireland don’t face higher taxes in their payslips.
The UK Government was handed a challenging inheritance; £22 billion of unfunded in-year spending pressures, debt at its highest since the 1960s, an unrealistic forecast for departmental spending, and stagnating living standards.
This Budget takes difficult decisions to restore economic and fiscal stability, so that the UK Government can invest in the economic future of Northern Ireland and lay the foundations for growth across the UK as its number one mission.
The Chancellor announced that the Northern Ireland Executive will be provided with a £18.2 billion settlement in 2025/26 – the largest in real terms in the history of devolution. This includes a £1.5 billion top-up through the Barnett formula, with £1.2 billion for day-to-day spending and £270 million for capital investment.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said:
This is the biggest real terms settlement for Northern Ireland since devolution.
The Northern Ireland Executive will get an additional £640 million in Barnett consequentials this year, and an additional £1.5 billion next year.
This will provide a strong foundation for stability and growth, and sees the UK Government delivering real change for the people of Northern Ireland.
We have also confirmed the UK Government’s investment in Northern Ireland’s City and Growth deals, which is a huge boost to communities in both rural and urban areas. The Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens Deals alone will receive a combined investment from the UK Government of £162 million, and I look forward to seeing them progress and make a real impact now and in years to come.
Meanwhile, measures such as the Northern Ireland Enhanced Investment Zone, continuing support for Northern Ireland integrated schooling and the UK-wide investment of over £500m in digital infrastructure through Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network benefit people across Northern Ireland’s communities.
The increase to £37.8 million in funding for the Police Service of Northern Ireland through the Additional Security Fund, combined with £8 million for the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime, underscores the UK Government’s continuing and steadfast commitment to security.
This budget is positive news for people across Northern Ireland, encouraging economic growth and enabling the conditions for a brighter future.
Protecting working people and living standards
While fixing the inheritance requires tough decisions, the Chancellor has committed to protecting the living standards of working people. The decisions taken by the Chancellor to rebuild public finances enable the UK Government to deliver on its pledge to not increase National Insurance, Income Tax or VAT on working people in Northern Ireland, meaning they will not see higher taxes in their payslip.
The National Living Wage will increase from £11.44 to £12.21 an hour from April 2025. The 6.7% increase – worth £1,400 a year for a full-time worker – is a significant move towards delivering a genuine living wage.
The National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20-year-olds will also see a record rise from £8.60 to £10 an hour.
Working people will benefit from these increases, with there estimated to be around 100,000 minimum wage workers in Northern Ireland in 2023.
The Chancellor has made the decision to protect working people in Northern Ireland from being dragged into higher tax brackets by confirming that Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions thresholds will be unfrozen from 2028-29 onwards.
The Chancellor is also protecting motorists by freezing fuel duty for one year – a tax cut worth £3 billion, with the temporary 5p cut extended to 22 March 2026. This will benefit an estimated 1.3 million people in Northern Ireland, saving the average car driver £59, vans £126 and Heavy Goods Vehicles £1,079 next year.
To support pubs and smaller brewers in Northern Ireland, the UK Government is cutting duty on qualifying draught products by 1p, which represent approximately 3 in 5 alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This measure reduces duty bills by over £70 million a year, cutting duty on an average strength pint in a pub by a penny. The relief available to small producers will be updated to help smaller brewers and cidermakers.
Rebuilding the United Kingdom
This UK Government will not make a return to austerity and will instead boost investment to rebuild Britain and lay the foundations for growth in Northern Ireland. This includes £760 million of targeted funding for the Northern Ireland Executive, of which £662 million is as committed in the 2024 restoration financial package and £90 million is for capital investment.
The UK Government today confirmed that investment in the Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens City Deals will continue, supported by a value for money assessment as part of the review of the business cases for projects to ensure best value is being delivered. The Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens Deals deliver a combined investment from UK Government of £162 million over 15 years to rural areas in Northern Ireland.
The Chancellor committed the UK Government to working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Industrial Strategy, 10-year infrastructure strategy and the National Wealth Fund – to ensure the benefits of these are felt UK-wide and as part of the relationship reset between governments. These will mobilise billions of pounds of investment in the UK’s world-leading clean energy and growth industries.
The UK Government has today reaffirmed its commitment to develop an Enhanced Investment Zone in Northern Ireland and will continue to work closely with the Northern Ireland Executive to develop proposals.
The UK Government has increased funding to £37.8 million for the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Additional Security Fund and confirmed £8 million for the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime to ensure that people and communities are kept safe from violence and harm.
To support community cohesion the UK Government is providing £730,000 of additional funding in 2025-26 to support schools in Northern Ireland through the transformation process as they work towards integrated status.
Under-served parts of Northern Ireland will benefit from the rollout of digital infrastructure enabled by over £500 million of UK-wide investment in Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network.
A corporate tax roadmap will provide businesses with the stability and certainty they need to make long-term investment decisions and support our growth mission. It confirms our competitive offer, with the lowest Corporate Tax rate in the G7 and generous support for investment and innovation.
The UK Government will also proceed with implementing the 45%/40% rates of the theatre, orchestra, museum and galleries tax relief from 1 April 2025 to provide certainty to businesses in Northern Ireland’s thriving cultural sector.
Repairing public finances
The Chancellor has made clear that, whilst protecting working people with measures to reduce the cost of living, there would be difficult decisions required. The Budget will ask businesses and the wealthiest to pay their fair share while making taxes fairer. This will go directly towards fixing the foundations of the UK economy.
The rate of Employers’ National Insurance will increase by 1.2 percentage points, to 15%. The Secondary Threshold – the level at which employers start paying national insurance on each employee’s salary – will reduce from £9,100 per year to £5,000 per year.
The smallest businesses will be protected as the Employment Allowance will increase to £10,500 from £5,000, allowing firms in Northern Ireland to employ four National Living Wage workers full time without paying national insurance on their wages.
Capital Gains Tax will increase from 10% to 18% for those paying the lower rate, and 20% to 24% for those paying the higher rate.
To encourage entrepreneurs to invest in their businesses Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR) will remain at 10% this year, before rising to 14% on 6 April 2025 and 18% from 6 April 2026-27.
The lifetime limit of BADR will be maintained at £1 million. The lifetime limit of Investors’ Relief will be reduced from £10 million to £1 million.
The OBR say changes to CGT will raise over £2.5 billion a year and the UK will continue to have the lowest CGT rate of any European G7 country.
Inheritance Tax thresholds will be fixed at their current levels for a further two years until April 2030. More than 90% of estates each year will be outside of its scope. From April 2027 inherited pensions will be subject to Inheritance Tax. This removes a distortion which has led to pensions being used as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth rather than their original purpose to fund retirement.
From April 2026, agricultural property relief and business property relief will be reformed. The highest rate of relief will continue at 100% for the first £1 million of combined business and agricultural assets, fully protecting the majority of businesses and farms. It will reduce to 50% after the first £1 million. Reforms will affect the wealthiest 2,000 estates each year. Inheritance Tax reforms in total are predicted by the OBR to raise £2 billion to support stability.
The Budget also announced a package of measures that disincentivise activities that cause ill health, by:
Renewing the tobacco duty escalator which increases all tobacco duty rates by RPI+2% plus an above escalator increase to hand rolling tobacco (totalling RPI+12%).
Introducing a new vaping duty at a flat rate of 22p/ml from October 2026, accompanied by a further one-off increase in tobacco duty to maintain financial incentive to choose vaping over smoking.
To help tackle obesity and other harms caused by high sugar intake, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy will increase to account for inflation since it was last updated in 2018, and the duty will rise in line with inflation every year going forward.
The UK Government will also uprate alcohol duty in line with RPI on 1 February 2025, except for most drinks in pubs
The UK Government has set out the next steps to deliver its tax manifesto commitments in the July Statement. Having consulted on the final policy details where appropriate, this Budget delivers the UK Government’s manifesto commitments to raise revenue to pay for First Steps, with reforms that are underpinned by fairness, and tackle tax avoidance by:
A new residence-based regime will replace the current non-dom regime from April 2025 and will be designed to attract investment and talent to the UK.
Offshore trusts will no longer be able to be used to shelter assets from Inheritance Tax, and there will be transitional arrangement in place for people who have made plans based on current rules.
The planned 50% reduction for foreign income in the first year of the new regime will be removed.
Reforms to the non-dom regime will raise a total of £12.7 billion according to the OBR.
The tax treatment of carried interest will be reformed by first increasing the Capital Gains Tax rates on carried interest to 32% and then, from April 2026, moving to a revised regime – with bespoke rules to reflect the characteristics of the reward.
The Higher Rate for Additional Dwellings surcharge of Stamp Duty Land Tax will rise from 3 to 5%, providing those looking to move home, or purchase their first property, with a comparative advantage over second home buyers, landlords, and businesses purchasing residential property.
The UK Government will also introduce 20% VAT on education and boarding services provided for a charge by private schools from 1 January 2025.
The Chancellor also doubled down on fiscal responsibility through two new fiscal rules that put the public finances on a sustainable path and prioritise investment to support long-term growth, and new principles of stability. Spending Reviews will be held every two years, setting plans for at least three years to ensure public services are always planned and improve value for money.
One major fiscal event per year will give families and businesses stability and certainty on tax and spending changes, while giving the Northern Ireland Executive greater clarity for in its own budget-setting. A Fiscal Lock will also ensure no future government can sideline the OBR again.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected a single confirmed human case of Clade Ib mpox.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected a single confirmed human case of Clade Ib mpox. The risk to the UK population remains low.
This is the first detection of this Clade of mpox in the UK. It is different from mpox Clade II that has been circulating at low levels in the UK since 2022, primarily among gay, bisexual and other men-who-have-sex-with-men (GBMSM).
UKHSA, the NHS and partner organisations have well tested capabilities to detect, contain and treat novel infectious diseases, and while this is the first confirmed case of mpox Clade Ib in the UK, there has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any confirmed cases.
The case was detected in London and the individual has been transferred to the Royal Free Hospital High Consequence Infectious Diseases unit. They had recently travelled to countries in Africa that are seeing community cases of Clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual.
Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Any contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive.
UKHSA is working closely with the NHS and academic partners to determine the characteristics of the pathogen and further assess the risk to human health. While the existing evidence suggests mpox Clade Ib causes more severe disease than Clade II, we will continue to monitor and learn more about the severity, transmission and control measures. We will initially manage Clade Ib as a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) whilst we are learning more about the virus.
Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:
It is thanks to our surveillance that we have been able to detect this virus. This is the first time we have detected this Clade of mpox in the UK, though other cases have been confirmed abroad.
The risk to the UK population remains low, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread. In accordance with established protocols, investigations are underway to learn how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further associated cases.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting, said:
I am extremely grateful to the healthcare professionals who are carrying out incredible work to support and care for the patient affected.
The overall risk to the UK population currently remains low and the government is working alongside UKHSA and the NHS to protect the public and prevent transmission.
This includes securing vaccines and equipping healthcare professionals with the guidance and tools they need to respond to cases safely.
We are also working with our international partners to support affected countries to prevent further outbreaks.
Steve Russell, NHS national director for vaccination and screening, said:
The NHS is fully prepared to respond to the first confirmed case of this clade of mpox.
Since mpox first became present in England, local services have pulled out all the stops to vaccinate those eligible, with tens of thousands in priority groups having already come forward to get protected, and while the risk of catching mpox in the UK remains low, if required the NHS has plans in place to expand the roll out of vaccines quickly in line with supply.
Clade Ib mpox has been widely circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent months and there have been cases reported in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sweden, India and Germany.
Clade Ib mpox was detected by UKHSA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.
Common symptoms of mpox include a skin rash or pus-filled lesions which can last 2 to 4 weeks. It can also cause fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.
The infection can be passed on through close person-to-person contact with someone who has the infection or with infected animals and through contact with contaminated materials. Anyone with symptoms should continue to avoid contact with other people while symptoms persist.
The UK has an existing stock of mpox vaccines and last month announced further vaccines are being procured to support a routine immunisation programme to provide additional resilience in the UK. This is in line with more recent independent JCVI advice.
Working alongside international partners, UKHSA has been monitoring Clade Ib mpox closely since the outbreak in DRC first emerged, publishing regular risk assessment updates.
The wider risk to the UK population remains low.
UKHSA has published its first technical briefing on clade I mpox which provides further information on the current situation and UK preparedness and response.
Chancellor takes long-term decisions to restore stability, rebuild Britain and protect working people across Scotland.
No change to working people’s payslips as employee national insurance and VAT stay the same, but businesses and the wealthiest asked to pay their fair share.
Record £47.7 billion for the Scottish Government in 2025/26 includes £3.4 billion through the Barnett formula.
Funding for Green Freeports, City and Growth Deals, GB Energy and hydrogen projects to fire up growth and deliver good jobs across Scotland.
The Chancellor has delivered a Budget to fix the foundations to deliver on the promise of change after a decade and a half of stagnation. She set out plans to rebuild Britain, while ensuring working people across Scotland don’t face higher taxes in their payslips.
The UK Government was handed a challenging inheritance; £22 billion of unfunded in-year spending pressures, debt at its highest since the 1960s, an unrealistic forecast for departmental spending, and stagnating living standards.
This Budget takes difficult decisions to restore economic and fiscal stability, so that the UK Government can invest in Scotland’s future and lay the foundations for economic growth across the UK as its number one mission.
The Chancellor announced that the Scottish Government will be provided with a £47.7 billion settlement in 2025/26 – the largest in real terms in the history of devolution. This includes a £3.4 billion top-up through the Barnett formula, with £2.8 billion for day-to-day spending and £610 million for capital investment.
Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray said:
This is a historic budget for Scotland that chooses investment over decline and delivers on the promise that there would be no return to austerity.
It is the largest budget settlement for the Scottish Government in the history of devolution, including an additional £1.5 billion this financial year and an additional £3.4 billion next year through the Barnett formula. That money must reach frontline services, to bring down NHS waiting lists and lift attainment in our schools.
It will also bring a new era of growth for Scotland and the whole UK, confirming nearly £890 million of direct investment into Freeports, Investment Zones, the Argyll and Bute Growth Deal, and other important local projects across Scotland’s communities, as well as £125 million next year for GB Energy and support for green hydrogen projects in Cromarty and Whitelee.
The increase in the minimum wage will also mean a pay rise for hundreds of thousands of workers in Scotland, with the biggest increase for young workers ever. This is on top of our employment rights bill which will deliver the biggest upgrade in workers’ rights in a generation. The triple lock means an increase in the state pension by £470 next year, on top of £900 this year for a million Scottish pensioners.
The budget protects working people in Scotland, delivers more money than ever before for Scottish public services and means an end to the era of austerity.
Protecting working people and living standards
While fixing the inheritance requires tough decisions, the Chancellor has committed to protecting the living standards of working people. The decisions taken by the Chancellor to rebuild public finances enable the UK Government to deliver on its pledge to not increase National Insurance or VAT on working people in Scotland, meaning they will not see higher taxes in their payslip.
The National Living Wage will increase from £11.44 to £12.21 an hour from April 2025. The 6.7% increase – worth £1,400 a year for a full-time worker – is a significant move towards delivering a genuine living wage.
The National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20-year-olds will also see a record rise from £8.60 to £10 an hour.
Working people will benefit from these increases, with there estimated to be over 100,000 minimum wage workers in Scotland in 2023.
The Chancellor has made the decision to protect working people in Scotland from being dragged into higher tax brackets by confirming that the freeze on National Insurance Contributions thresholds will be lifted from 2028-29 onwards, rising in line with inflation so they can keep more of their hard-earned wages.
The Chancellor is also protecting motorists by freezing fuel duty for one year – a tax cut worth £3 billion, with the temporary 5p cut extended to 22 March 2026. This will benefit an estimated 3.2 million people in Scotland, saving the average car driver £59, vans £126 and Heavy Goods Vehicles £1,079 next year.
To support Scottish pubs and smaller brewers in Scotland, the UK Government is cutting duty on qualifying draught products by 1p, which represent approximately 3 in 5 alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This measure reduces duty bills by over £70 million a year, cutting duty on an average strength pint in a pub by a penny. The relief available to small producers will be updated to help smaller brewers and cidermakers.
Over 1 million Scottish pensioners will benefit from a 4.1% increase to their new or basic State Pension in April 2025. This is an additional £470 a year for those on the new State Pension and an additional £360 a year for those on the basic State Pension.
Households eligible for Pension Credit will get £465 a year more for single pensioners and up to £710 a year more for couples due to a 4.1% increase in the Pension Credit Standard Minimum Guarantee, benefitting 125,000 pensioners in Scotland.
Around 1.7 million families in Scotland will see their working-age benefits uprated in line with inflation – a £150 gain on average in 2025-26.
Reducing the maximum level of debt repayments that can be deducted from a household’s Universal Credit payment each month from 25% to 15% will benefit a Scottish family by over £420 a year on average.
Rebuilding Britain
This UK Government will not make a return to austerity and will instead boost investment to rebuild Britain and lay the foundations for growth in Scotland. This includes £130 million of targeted funding for the Scottish Government, of which £120 million is in capital investment.
The Budget delivers on the first step to establish Great British Energy by providing £125 million next year to set up the institution at its new home in Aberdeen – helping to develop new clean energy projects in Scotland and across the UK.
The UK Government will deliver £122 million for City and Growth Deals, including the continuation of its contribution to the Argyll and Bute Growth Deal which delivers £25 million of investment in the region over 10 years. This Deal will be supported by a rigorous value for money assessment as part of the review of the business cases for projects within it, to ensure best value is being delivered.
The Budget gives certainty to local leaders and investors, confirming funding for the Investment Zones and Freeports programmes across the UK – including Scotland’s Green Freeports.
The Chancellor committed the UK Government to working closely with the Scottish Government on the Industrial Strategy, 10-year infrastructure strategy and the National Wealth Fund – to ensure the benefits of these are felt UK-wide and as part of the relationship reset between governments. These will mobilise billions of pounds of investment in the UK’s world-leading clean energy and growth industries.
To support economic growth and promote Scottish culture, products and services through diplomatic and trade networks, the UK Government is allocating £750,000 for the Scotland Office in 2025/26 to champion Brand Scotland as was committed in the manifesto.
We are supporting Scotland’s world-renowned Scotch Whisky industry by providing up to £5 million for HMRC to reduce the fees charged by the Spirit Drinks Verification Scheme and by ending mandatory duty stamps for spirits on 1 May 2025.
Two electrolytic hydrogen projects in Scotland have been selected for UK Government revenue support through the first Hydrogen Allocation Round: Cromarty Green Hydrogen Project and Whitelee Green Hydrogen. Both projects will bring in significant international investment and create good quality, local jobs.
An extension of the Innovation Accelerators programme will support the high-potential innovation cluster in the Glasgow City Region.
A corporate tax roadmap will provide businesses with the stability and certainty they need to make long-term investment decisions and support our growth mission. It confirms our competitive offer, with the lowest Corporate Tax rate in the G7 and generous support for investment and innovation.
The UK Government will also proceed with implementing the 45%/40% rates of the theatre, orchestra, museum and galleries tax relief from 1 April 2025 to provide certainty to businesses in Scotland’s thriving cultural sector.
Repairing public finances
The Chancellor has made clear that, whilst protecting working people with measures to reduce the cost of living, there would be difficult decisions required. The Budget will ask businesses and the wealthiest to pay their fair share while making taxes fairer. This will go directly towards fixing the foundations of the UK economy.
The rate of Employers’ National Insurance will increase by 1.2 percentage points, to 15%. The Secondary Threshold – the level at which employers start paying national insurance on each employee’s salary – will reduce from £9,100 per year to £5,000 per year.
The smallest businesses will be protected as the Employment Allowance will increase to £10,500 from £5,000, allowing Scottish firms to employ four National Living Wage workers full time without paying employer national insurance on their wages.
Capital Gains Tax will increase from 10% to 18% for those paying the lower rate, and 20% to 24% for those paying the higher rate.
To encourage entrepreneurs to invest in their businesses Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR) will remain at 10% this year, before rising to 14% on 6 April 2025 and 18% from 6 April 2026-27.
The lifetime limit of BADR will be maintained at £1 million. The lifetime limit of Investors’ Relief will be reduced from £10 million to £1 million.
The OBR say changes to CGT raise over £2.5 billion a year and the UK will continue to have the lowest CGT rate of any European G7 country.
Inheritance Tax thresholds will be fixed at their current levels for a further two years until April 2030. More than 90% of estates each year will be outside of its scope. From April 2027 inherited pensions will be subject to Inheritance Tax. This removes a distortion which has led to pensions being used as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth rather than their original purpose to fund retirement.
From April 2026, agricultural property relief and business property relief will be reformed. The highest rate of relief will continue at 100% for the first £1 million of combined business and agricultural assets, fully protecting the majority of businesses and farms. It will reduce to 50% after the first £1 million. Reforms will affect the wealthiest 2,000 estates each year. Inheritance Tax reforms in total are predicted by the OBR to raise £2 billion to support stability.
From 2026-27 Air Passenger Duty (APD) for short and long-haul flights will increase by 13% to the nearest pound, a partial adjustment to account for previous high inflation. For economy passengers, this means a maximum £2 extra per short haul flight and tickets for children under the age of 16 remain exempt from APD. APD for larger private jets will be increased by a further 50%. Passengers carried on flights leaving from airports in the Scottish Highlands and Islands region are exempt from APD.
The rate of the Energy Profits Levy will increase to 38% from 1 November 2024 and the levy will now expire one year later than planned, on 31 March 2030. The 29% investment allowance will be removed.
To provide long-term certainty and to support a stable energy transition, the UK Government will make no additional changes to tax relief available within the EPL and a consultation will be published in early 2025 on a successor regime that can respond to price shocks. Money raised from changes to the EPL will support the transition to clean energy, enhance energy security and provide sustainable jobs for the future.
The Budget also announced a package of measures that disincentivise activities that cause ill health, by:
Renewing the tobacco duty escalator which increases all tobacco duty rates by RPI+2% plus an above escalator increase to hand rolling tobacco (totalling RPI+12%).
Introducing a new vaping duty at a flat rate of 22p/ml from October 2026, accompanied by a further one-off increase in tobacco duty to maintain financial incentive to choose vaping over smoking.
To help tackle obesity and other harms caused by high sugar intake, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy will increase to account for inflation since it was last updated in 2018, and the duty will rise in line with inflation every year going forward.
The UK Government will also uprate alcohol duty in line with RPI on 1 February 2025, except for most drinks in pubs.
The UK Government has set out the next steps to deliver its tax manifesto commitments in the July Statement. Having consulted on the final policy details where appropriate, this Budget delivers the UK Government’s manifesto commitments to raise revenue to pay for First Steps, with reforms that are underpinned by fairness, and tackle tax avoidance by:
A new residence-based regime will replace the current non-dom regime from April 2025 and will be designed to attract investment and talent to the UK.
Offshore trusts will no longer be able to be used to shelter assets from Inheritance Tax, and there will be transitional arrangement in place for people who have made plans based on current rules.
The planned 50% reduction for foreign income in the first year of the new regime will be removed.
Reforms to the non-dom regime will raise a total of £12.7 billion according to the OBR.
The tax treatment of carried interest will be reformed by first increasing the Capital Gains Tax rates on carried interest to 32% and then, from April 2026, moving to a revised regime – with bespoke rules to reflect the characteristics of the reward.
The Chancellor also doubled down on fiscal responsibility through two new fiscal rules that put the public finances on a sustainable path and prioritise investment to support long-term growth, and new principles of stability. Spending Reviews will be held every two years, setting plans for at least three years to ensure public services are always planned and improve value for money.
One major fiscal event per year will give families and businesses stability and certainty on tax and spending changes, while giving the Scottish Government greater clarity for in its own budget-setting. A Fiscal Lock will also ensure no future government can sideline the OBR again.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
The Science Community comment on Science and R&D elements of the Autumn Budget, delivered by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
Chi Onwurah, Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, said:
“Sustained investment in science, innovation and technology is needed to drive the UK’s economic growth and productivity. When the Government was elected in July, it committed to supporting innovation as part of its mission driven approach.
“It’s vital that UK R&D gets long-term funding to keep up the momentum and level of expertise needed to drive our future prosperity. I welcome the commitment to protect core research funding, as well as the specific investments planned for R&D in high-tech industries like aerospace, automotive, and clean energy.
“The Committee looks forward to scrutinising the Budget in detail. We’ll be examining how the Budget will impact science and technology, and hearing views from across the sector and industry.”
Dr Alicia Greated, Executive Director, Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE), said:
“I am pleased to hear such positive support for UK R&D and innovation from the Chancellor, and recognition that, if supported, it will drive economic growth. We also know the public care about this, with 70% of people saying it is important for the Government to invest in R&D. Seeing this reflected by Government is unequivocally a good thing.
“Beyond the positive intent, it is the detail we must now turn to. It is reassuring to hear pledges to protect core R&D funding and to increase DSIT’s R&D budget, but it will take time to unpack and understand what this means in practice. We look forward to receiving more detail about DSIT’s budget allocations to enable us to build a fuller picture of the changes announced.”
Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, Chief Executive, UK Research & Innovation, said:
“We welcome the Government’s continued commitment to research and innovation in today’s Budget, recognising their crucial role in driving sustainable economic growth, creating jobs, and improving public services for people across the UK.
“We appreciate the Chancellor’s prioritisation of research and innovation, given the difficult choices to be made on public expenditure. We will work closely with the Secretary of State, Science Minister, across government and with our research and innovation partners to maximise the impact of our investments and create a strong platform for an ambitious programme of research and innovation in the multi-year Spending Review next Spring.”
Dr John Lazar CBE FREng, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, says:
“The Chancellor’s first budget was a difficult balancing act, and we are pleased to see a long-term commitment to research and innovation, which is proven to help business, productivity and growth. We know the pressures on public finances that put government spending on research and development in the spotlight, and also that R&D spending is the catalyst for economic success. We welcome the commitment to protect government investment in R&D, and the acknowledgement of the key role that the UK’s National Academies play in driving innovation in engineering, biotechnology and medical science. It is now up to the Science, Engineering and Technology sector to work with the government to deliver the innovation and growth needed to unlock investment and create jobs.”
“With sustained investment in innovation and entrepreneurship, the UK is well placed to leverage its impressive engineering and technology strengths to sustain business confidence, catalyse investment and power growth, and ultimately improve our public services and productivity.”
“The economy can only grow if the infrastructure that underpins it keeps pace with its needs – we welcome the £100bn additional investment over the next five years to fund public infrastructure, and the boost this will give to UK capabilities and regional development.”
On the NHS funding announcements in the Budget, Director of Evidence and Implementation at Cancer Research UK, Naser Turabi, said:
“The fact that the NHS has received additional funding in today’s budget for day to day spending and investment is good news. It’s no secret that our health service is struggling, and record numbers of cancer patients are having to wait longer than they should to begin their treatment. Funding, coupled with reform, will be vital to bringing waiting lists down.
“But the new government will only be able to turn things around with effective planning and sustained funding. The development of a long-term health plan is promising, but it’s vital that we see a dedicated cancer strategy alongside this. Other countries like Denmark have proven that they can help save lives, and transforming outcomes for cancer patients will go a long way towards fixing the NHS in England as a whole.”
On the research funding announcements in the Budget, Director of Policy at Cancer Research UK, Dr Owen Jackson, said:
“It is good news that the Chancellor has committed to protecting R&D funding in this Budget. A strong R&D system is essential to prosperity of the UK and health of the nation.
“The UK is unusual in that nearly two thirds of non-commercial cancer research is funded by charities like Cancer Research UK. We will continue to work in partnership with government and the private sector to build on the UK’s strengths in life sciences and cancer research, and to advocate for increased funding for these vital areas over the coming years. Continued partnership relies on sustained investment in research over the long term.”
Sharon Todd, CEO of UK-based Innovation Network SCI, said:
“R&D relief being maintained won’t turn the UK into a science superpower – only a material increase will help a sector that is so vital to scaling up and economic growth.
“Whilst it would be nice to think that industry would mushroom out of the ground and create value for the UK through the development of new medicines, fuels and technologies, that is not going to happen without greater support for research, development and commercialisation. Global competition means even start-up companies innovating products and ideas for our sustainable future are leaving for overseas.
“The opportunity is now. A strategy for industry is one thing, but with huge tax incentives in Europe and the US, the UK is set to miss out on the 240,000 extra jobs and $230 billion of added value the clean tech and life sciences revolutions could otherwise bring the UK in the next five years.”
Declared interests
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The money, from the previous Conservative UK Government’s Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, had been earmarked for three projects to support culture and regeneration in Perth city centre.
These projects were to create a visitor attraction and office space at Lower City Mills, to create an exhibition and retail space at The Ironworks and a high street outlet for micro producers.
Perth and Kinross Council leader Councillor Grant Laing said: “We are all well aware of the financial challenges facing the UK but this is an extremely disappointing – and, in my opinion, short-sighted – decision.
“We have three excellent projects ready to start, all of which would help to breathe new life into Perth city centre for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors.
“Perth fought hard for a share of funding. When the £5 million was announced in March this year I was pleased the UK government had finally recognised the value of investing in Perth and Kinross, even if we received a smaller share than many other areas.
“To have the rug pulled out from under us by the new Labour government now simply adds insult to injury.
“We will look to see if other sources of funding is possible for these three projects and continue our ongoing efforts to regenerate Perth city centre.”
Perth and Kinross Council Chief Executive Thomas Glen said: “It is extremely disappointing the new UK Government has chosen not to uphold the pledge made to Perth and Kinross in March.
“These three projects are part of our ambitious plans to regenerate Perth city centre but they require funding to become a reality.
“Consultation on the Perth City Centre Design and Development Framework, which sets out our ambitions for the city, will begin in November.”
The Flow Country Partnership has received funding from the Community Loan Fund towards their pioneering peatland restoration project in Sutherland. The fund is delivered by Highland Opportunity (Investments) Limited, HOIL, on behalf of The Highland Council.
The Community Loan fund aims to encourage and support Highland based community and third sector organisations to start up and grow and contribute to a thriving and sustainable Highland and Scottish economy. Loans can be used for capital start up-costs, growth of an existing organisation, working capital and bridging finance, with a repayment period of 1 to 10 years.
Peatland restoration is a vital part of Scotland’s twin goals of reducing emissions and restoring nature. The Flow Country Partnership was founded in 2006 and became a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) in February 2024 to bring together a community including crofters, farmers, landowners/managers, local businesses, residents, ecologists and local government to grow the resilience of the Flow Country and its people. This restoration will help achieve emission reduction by restoring the capacity of the peatlands to store carbon and improving biodiversity in the first and only peatland UNESCO World Heritage Site in the World.
The partnership approached HOIL for funding to finance the peatlands restoration project on a farming and sporting estate. Securing loan funding before the sale of carbon credits will support its long-term aspirations to become a self-sustaining organisation whilst restoring and protecting the ecosystem.
The Flow Country Partnership is a SCIO, with a trading subsidiary, Flow Country Restoration Limited and blends public and private finance to deliver its objectives. This project is supported by The Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland (FIRNS) and is being delivered by NatureScot in collaboration with The Scottish Government and in partnership with the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Scottish Government’s Peatland ACTION Fund. Trustees, initiative partners and stakeholders, amongst others are The Highland Council, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland, RSPB, North Highland Initiative, the Environmental Research Institute UHI and local landowners, farmers, crofters and estate owners.
Councillor Paul Oldham, Chair of HOIl said: “I welcome this opportunity to help The Flow Country Partnership move forward with their Peatland Restoration project which not only helps improve the environment and create carbon storage but also brings local work to Caithness and Sutherland.
“The Community Loan Fund which is managed by HOIL provides accessible and affordable finance for community projects across the Highlands and is one of several funds we can use to help projects across the area.”
Graham Neville, Flow Country Partnership Vice-chair and director of Flow Country Restoration Limited added: “We are pleased to have the support of Highland Opportunity (Investments) Limited for our peatland restoration project. This funding is a key step in restoring this vital landscape, which plays a crucial role in carbon storage and biodiversity, while also contributing to Scotland’s Net Zero ambitions. By working with local partners, we aim to create lasting community benefits, support sustainable carbon investments, and protect The Flow Country.”
To find out more about the support HOIL can provide to Highland community organisations and businesses please visit their website
An inspiring 116-strong group of shortlisted talent performing and working across Scotland’s vibrant traditional music scene have today been unveiled as nominees for the 22nd MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards.
Musicians, bands, organisations, teachers, venues, events and individuals involved in the creation and development of Scottish’s homegrown music are shortlisted across 22 categories.
The public has until Sunday 10th November to vote for their favourites at www.scotstradmusicawards.com. The winners will be announced at a star-studded award ceremony at Inverness Leisure on Saturday 30th November when the event returns to the Highland capital for the first time in 10 years.
The single most important awards ceremony for folk and trad musicians, bands and artists, the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards are organised by Hands Up For Trad – an organisation which stands at the forefront of Scotland’s cultural landscape, promoting traditional music and culture through their talent development, education and advocacy work.
The gold standard for industry achievement, the awards night will fittingly be held on St. Andrew’s Day and seeks to celebrate stand-out talent from all corners of the country working across a range of genres and styles to create and promote Scotland’s trad music scene over the last 12 months.
The nominees are:
Album of the Year, sponsored by Birnam CD
Headstrong by HEISK
Just a Second by Ryan Young
The Waiting Room by Eamonn Nugent
A Breaking Sky by Charlie Grey & Joseph Peach
The Outset by Project Smok
Vent by Laura Jane Wilkie
Halocline by Malin Lewis
The Magic Roundabout by Session A9
ReLoved by Capercaillie
The Homeroad by Ross Couper Band
Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year, sponsored by Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland
Beth Malcolm
Siobhan Miller
Josie Duncan
Seàn Gray
Club of the Year
Glee Club at Celtic Connections
Ayr Phoenix Folk Club
Ardersier International Folk Club
The World’s Room
Community Project of the Year, sponsored by Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland
Scottish Polish Song Society – Aberdeen University
People’s Parish
Fèis air an Oir
Falkirk Fiddle Workshop
Composer of the Year, sponsored by PRS for Music
James Ross
Gillian Fleetwood
Alec Dalgeish
Mairead Green and Mike Vass (A.D.A.M)
Jack Badcock
Ali Hutton & Laura Beth (From the Ground)
Event of the Year, sponsored by VisitScotland
Carrying Stream Festival
Skipinnish at Edinburgh Castle
Cuirm Nam Bonn òir le Ruairidh Gray
Jura Music Festival
Ceòl Cholasa
Fèis na Mara
Gaelic Singer of the Year, sponsored by Highland Society of London
Ainslie Hamill
Ceitlin Lilidh
Emma MacLeod
Kathleen MacInnes
Katie Macfarlane
Live Act of the Year
Kinnaris Quarter
An Dannsa Dub
Mec Lir
Niteworks
Ross Ainslie and Tim Edey
RuMac
Music Tutor of the Year, sponsored by Creative Scotland Youth Music Initiative
Margaret Houlihan
Douglas Montgomery
Carly Blain
Daniel Thorpe
Musician of the Year, sponsored by University of the Highlands and Islands
Ciorstaidh Beaton
Anna Massie
Tom Callister
Adam Holmes
Alasdair Iain Paterson
Patsy Reid
Original Work of the Year, sponsored Musicians’ Union
Ar Cànan ‘s ar Ceòl by Trail West
Centennial March (Glen Burnie Lodge) by Louise Bichan
Alice Allen’s New Voices ‘Bass Culture’
The Dedication Jigs by Ross Miller
Tom Campbell Trio EP
Scottish Dance Band of the Year, sponsored by National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs
Graeme MacKay
Jackie Raeburn
Calum Nicolson
Michael Philip
Scottish Folk Band of the Year, sponsored by Threads of Sound
Cala
Fras
Haltadans
The Paul McKenna Band
RANT
DLÙ
Scottish Pipe Band of the Year, sponsored by National Piping Centre
Skye Youth Pipe Band
Dunoon Grammar Pipe Band
George Watson’s Pipe Band
Dornoch Pipe Band
Trad Music in the Media, sponsored by Glasgow Caledonian University
Friday Night Trad – Radio Skye with Robert MacInnes
Karine Polwart’s Monthly Newsletter
Piping Sounds with Michael Steele and Ewen Henderson
Kim Carnie Out Loud
Jared Rowan (Social Media)
Up and Coming Artist of the Year, sponsored by Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Tarran
Amy Laurenson
Falasgair
Teud
Gillie O’Flaherty
Lauren Collier Band
Venue of the Year
Catstrand Arts
Eden Court
Kings Place, London
The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh
Croy Live
A number of special prizes will also be awarded on the night, selected by a panel of esteemed industry judges, for services to traditional music and culture.
Legendary Skye band Niteworks will receive the Services to Gaelic Award, sponsored by Bòrd na Gàidhlig; beloved musician Christine Martin will be presented with The Hamish Henderson Services to Traditional Music Award, while celebrated poet Rab Wilson will receive The Janet Paisley Services to Scots Language Award, supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
This year’s event also welcomes the introduction of a new award, The Gaisgeach na Gàidhealtachd, which means Hero of the Highlands. This award will recognise a notable local organisation or figure who has made an invaluable contribution to Highland cultural life and the winner will be named on the night.
A number of stalwarts of the scene who have dedicated their lives to the development of music in Scotland are each year added to the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame, sponsored by Fèisean nan Gàidheal and will be honoured in a special reception on the night.
A raft of industry awards will also recognise individuals and organisations which support the creative pipeline of the sector. Those finalists are:
Industry Person of the Year
Michael Pellegrotti
Roddy MacKay
Gary Innes
Laura Harrington
Rosie Munro
Production Company of the Year
Pro Sound
FE Audio
Adlib
SM Lighting
Recording Studio of the Year
B&B Studios
Castlesound
Assumption Studios
Black Bay Studios
Sound Engineer of the Year
Alain ‘Dinner’ MacKinnon
Carla Feuerstein
Ross Cathcart
Stage Technician of the Year
John McFarlane
Chris Adam
Ronnie Phipps
Gary Ebdy
As well as all category sponsors and the event’s headline sponsor, this year’s MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, the ceremony’s return to the Highlands is made possible with funding and support from Creative Scotland, Inverness Common Good Fund,Highland Council via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Scottish Government.
Scots Trad Music Awards organiser Simon Thoumire said: “Scotland’s traditional music scene is bursting at the seams with exceptional talent and it’s incredibly important we take time to recognise the achievements and progress over the last year. From some of the most exciting young new bands, to legends of the industry we will be tipping our hats to the best of the best in Inverness this November. Voting is now open and it’s over to the public to decide who they would like to see honoured on the night. We’re proud that this event has become synonymous with excellence in Scottish music and incredibly grateful to all those who make its staging possible.”
Siobhan Anderson, Music Officer at Creative Scotland said: ““Congratulations to all the nominees. Now public voting is open, it’s a fantastic chance for people to celebrate and honour all their favourite artists, recordings, organisations, projects and contributors to this vibrant sector. The list of nominees reflects the vast array of talent across the genre and all the people who contribute towards sustaining traditions and creating innovative work.”
Margaret Cameron, Director of Content at MG ALBA, said: “Now in its 22nd year, it’s incredible to see how the event continues to flourish, showcasing the very best of Scots Trad music. This year’s nominations of the MG ALBA Scots Trad Awards once again highlight the remarkable talent within the scene, reflecting the vibrancy and depth of Scotland’s musical heritage. We’re thrilled to bring the awards to the fantastic Inverness Leisure Centre on St. Andrew’s Day, and MG ALBA is proud to support the event and broadcast the celebration live on BBC ALBA, ensuring audiences across the country can join the party.”
An outstanding lineup of talent is set to take to the stage over the course of the evening, including the Hebridean-born and Highland-based singer and musician Julie Fowlis, whose award-winning talent is recognised the world over; Skipinnish who round off their 25th anniversary year in a fitting fashion’ BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2024 Calum McIlroy; party-starters An Dannsa Dub; the inimitable duo of Laura Wilkie and Ian Carr; Aberdeenshire folk star Ellie Beaton; and young local talent in the form of Highland Young Musicians and Arc Fiddlers.
The MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards will take place at Inverness Leisure Centre on St. Andrew’s Day, Saturday 30th November 2024. The awards will be broadcast on BBC ALBA from 9pm.
A number of roads in Inverness will be closed for safety reasons during the Remembrance Day Parade on Sunday 10 November 2024 between 2pm and 5pm. . The temporary prohibitions will affect vehicular traffic in the following roads.
U4048 Huntly Street, Inverness, between its junction with the U4018 Greig Street and its junction with Young Street (forming part of the 8861 Inverness – Leys – lnverarnie Road).
Ness Bridge, Inverness (8861), between its junction with Young Street (8861) and its junction with Bridge Street (8861).
Castle Road, Inverness (forming part of the 8862 Fort Augustus – Whitebridge – Torness – Dores – Inverness Road), between its junction with Bridge Street (8861) and its junction with Haugh Road (8862).
C1201 Ness Bank and CavelI Gardens Road, Inverness, between its junction with Castle Road (8862) and its junction with Island Bank Road (8862).
Bridge Street (forming part of the 8861 Inverness – Leys – lnverarnie road), Inverness, between its junction with Bank Street (forming part of the 8862 Fort Augustus – Whitebridge – Torness – Dores – Inverness Road) and its junction with High Street (8861).
High Street (8861), Inverness, between its junction with Bridge Street (8861) and its junction with Castle Street (8861).
And finally, Castle Street (8861), Inverness, between its junction with High Street (8861) and its junction with the C1184 View Place.
The Infirmary Bridge will be closed between 1pm and 5pm.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Low Pay Commission recommendations accepted in full
The Government has today announced its acceptance of the Low Pay Commission’s (LPC) recommendations on the rates of the National Minimum Wage (NMW), including the National Living Wage (NLW). The rates which will apply from 1 April 2025 are as follows:
NMW Rate
Increase (£)
Percentage increase
National Living Wage (21 and over)
£12.21
£0.77
6.7
18-20 Year Old Rate
£10.00
£1.40
16.3
16-17 Year Old Rate
£7.55
£1.15
18.0
Apprentice Rate
£7.55
£1.15
18.0
Accommodation Offset
£10.66
£0.67
6.7
The LPC’s recommendations meet the remit set by the Government. The recommended NLW rate is expected to equal two-thirds of median earnings and to have the highest real value in the history of the UK’s minimum wage. The increase in the 18-20 Year Old Rate narrows the gap between that and the NLW, in anticipation of the adult rate being extended to 18 year olds in future years.
Baroness Philippa Stroud, Chair of the LPC, said:
The Government have been clear about their ambitions for the National Minimum Wage and its importance in supporting workers’ living standards. At the same time, employers have had to deal with the adult rate rising over 20 per cent in two years, and the challenges that has created alongside other pressures to their cost base.
It is our job to balance these considerations, ensuring the NLW provides a fair wage for the lowest-paid workers while taking account of economic factors. These rates secure a real-terms pay increase for the lowest-paid workers. Young workers will see substantial increases in their pay floor, making up some of the ground lost against the adult rate over time.
The data show some signs of employers finding it harder to adapt to minimum wage increases. The tightening of the labour market since the pandemic has unwound, but the overall picture is similar to 2019.The economy is expected to grow over the next year, although productivity growth remains subdued.
We look forward to continuing our work next year as the detail of the Make Work Pay plan is elaborated upon. The NMW is a major part of the Government’s ambitions for the future of the labour market, and it is important that it continues to be informed by the expertise and consensus-building the LPC provides.
The LPC’s recommendations are based on extensive consultation with employers, workers, representatives of both groups and other expert bodies, as well as a series of regional visits across the UK. They reflect unanimous agreement among Commissioners, including those representing workers, employers and independent experts.
The recommended increase in the 16-17 Year Old Rate restores that rate to its original value relative to the adult minimum wage. In line with previous recommendations, the Apprentice Rate will remain equal to the 16-17 Year Old Rate.
Notes for editors
The LPC’s recommendations were submitted to the Government on 25 October 2024. The Government has today announced acceptance of those recommendations.
The LPC will on Wednesday 30 October publish its letter of recommendations to the Government and a short report summarising the main evidence Commissioners relied on to make those recommendations. The LPC’s full annual report will be laid before Parliament and published in the new year.
The Government’s remit to the LPC, which determines the Commission’s work through the year, was published in July and is available here.
The LPC’s recommended NLW rate is intended to meet the Government’s ambition for this rate to reach at least two-thirds of median earnings in 2024.
For the first time, the Government asked the LPC to take into account the cost of living, including expected trends in inflation up to March 2026, when recommending the NLW. The LPC expects its recommended rate to represent a real-terms increase across the whole of the period to March 2026, using any major inflation measure, thereby protecting low-paid workers’ living standards.
We last published projections in September of the NLW rate needed to achieve the level of two-thirds of median earnings. At the time, our projected range was between £11.82 and £12.39, with a central estimate of £12.10.
Our assessment of and projections for median earnings rely on the ONS’s Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) and Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) series. These are supplemented by HMRC’s Real Time Information (RTI) data and wage forecasts from the Bank of England and HM Treasury’s Independent Panel of Economic Forecasts.
The National Living Wage (NLW) is currently the statutory minimum wage for workers aged 21 and over. This age threshold came down from 25 to 23 in April 2021 and from 23 to 21 in April 2024.
Different minimum wage rates continue to apply to 18-20 year olds, 16-17 year olds and apprentices aged under 19 or in the first year of an apprenticeship. The Government has stated its ambition to reduce the NLW age threshold from 21 to 18; this follows the LPC’s own stated ambition and advice, as set out in the publication The National Minimum Wage Beyond 2024. The LPC will consult next year on the pathway to achieving this goal.
Rates for workers aged under 21, and apprentices, are currently lower than the NLW to reflect lower average earnings and higher unemployment rates. International evidence also suggests that younger workers are more exposed to employment risks arising from the pay floor than older workers. Unlike the NLW (where the possibility of some consequences for employment have been accepted by the Government), the LPC’s remit requires us to set the rates for younger workers and apprentices as high as possible without causing damage to jobs and hours.
The National Living Wage is different from the UK Living Wage and the London Living Wage calculated by the Living Wage Foundation. Differences include that: the UK Living Wage and the London Living Wage are voluntary pay benchmarks that employers can sign up to if they wish, not legally binding requirements; the hourly rate of the UK Living Wage and London Living Wage is based on an attempt to measure need, whereas the National Living Wage is based on a target relationship between its level and average pay; the UK Living Wage and London Living Wage apply to workers aged 18 and over, the National Living Wage to workers aged 23 and over. The Low Pay Commission has no role in the UK Living Wage or the London Living Wage.
The Accommodation Offset is an allowable deduction from wages for accommodation, applicable for each day of the week. In April 2025 it will increase to £10.66 per day.
For an NLW worker working 37.5 hours per week, the increases announced today will increase their annual gross pay by £1,505.54 and their monthly gross pay by £125.46.
The Low Pay Commission is an independent body made up of employers, trade unions and experts whose role is to advise the Government on the minimum wage. The rate recommendations introduced today were agreed unanimously by the Commission.
The current Low Pay Commissioners are: Baroness Philippa Stroud (Chair), Nigel Cotgrove, Matthew Fell, Andrew Goodacre, Louise Fisher, Professor Patricia Rice, Simon Sapper and Professor Jonathan Wadsworth.
Baroness Philippa Stroud can be contacted via the Low Pay Commission’s press office (07341 098734).
Released by: Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations
The NSW Government has reached an agreement with the Health Services Union (HSU) to increase wages and deliver benefits from salary packaging for more than 50,000 health workers across the state.
The agreement covers a range of professions including allied health roles, hospital cleaners, scientists, security officers, patient transport officers and more.
Under the Government’s new Fair Pay and Bargaining Policy, the NSW Government and the HSU have agreed to a one year pay increase of 3.5 per cent plus 0.5 per cent in superannuation.
The agreement will also provide 100 per cent salary packaging, delivering a key election commitment.
This will increase the share of salary packaging benefits for eligible workers from 70 per cent to 100 per cent with effect from 1 July 2024.
Under current salary packaging arrangements, the resulting tax savings are split between health workers and NSW Health.
Cost of living protection has also been agreed with a $1,000, one-off cost of living payment if the 12-month annual average Sydney Consumer Price Index rate exceeds 4.0 per cent in the year to the March quarter of 2025.
The agreement also includes award reform that commits all parties to working together to create modern, fit for purpose awards.
This includes a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that commits to working cooperatively to achieve a 3-year wage agreement on the expiry of the 1-year award.
This deal forms part of the Government’s comprehensive plan to deliver the long-term repair of healthcare across NSW.
It follows a 4.5 per cent pay rise delivered last year, which was the highest in more than a decade.
After 12 years of neglect and a lack of investment in our health system, the Minns Labor Government is rebuilding this essential service by investing in the workers that deliver them.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:
“The NSW Government is pleased to announce an agreement has been reached for a salary increase for more than 50,000 public health workers including Aboriginal Health Workers, dental officers, psychologists, security officers, patient support assistants, hospital cleaners, cooks, technicians, interpreters and administration staff.
“The NSW Government and the HSU have agreed to work together to identify system changes, productivity outcomes, benefits from award reform and savings.
“This has been a collaborative approach, which builds on the 4-year agreement reached with paramedics late last year.
“The agreement delivers on a key election commitment to deliver 100 per cent salary packaging and abolish the wages cap.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis:
“The Minns Labor Government continues the work of rebuilding the state’s essential services and the industrial relations system.
“That work started with scrapping the Liberals and Nationals wages cap and introducing a new bargaining framework.
“We were elected on a mandate to fix the recruitment and retention crisis in essential services and that is what we are doing.”
Quotes attributable to HSU Secretary Gerard Hayes:
“This is a generational advance for 50,000 health workers who have earned every cent of this pay rise. The reform to salary packaging will be life-changing for hard working people on modest incomes.
“Health workers deserve 100 per cent of their salary packaging tax benefits and this shows the strength of a union that stands together to get things done.
“After years of neglect in a struggling workforce, we demanded the government do better and secured a deal that finally recognises health workers. We pay tribute to the Government for honouring its commitment.”
SafeWork NSW is due to launch three powerful videos about the importance of Health and Safety Representatives (HSR) and workplace safety, at their one-day free HSR refresher training session on Wednesday 30 October 2024.
The videos highlight the critical role HSRs play in fostering a safe working environment. In one segment, Laura Anderson, an intensive care nurse at Shoalhaven Hospital, recalls the shock of hearing her colleague scream during an avoidable patient attack.
As a proud HSR, Laura reflects, “I do find it very rewarding. The staff are very thankful.” She also emphasises the importance of translating safety into action, stating, “If we are keeping our colleagues safe, that in turn keeps the patients safe.”
HSRs play a pivotal role in gathering information and resolving health and safety issues for their work group.
SafeWork NSW is partnering with Unions NSW to deliver the full-day event in Surry Hills where a range of initiatives will provide more clarity on HSR roles and their powers under Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws. The event will include:
Sessions with the Minister of Work Health Safety Sophie Cotsis, Assistant Secretary of Unions NSW Thomas Costa and SafeWork NSW A/Deputy Secretary Trent Curtin
An explanation of the WHS legislation, and how it applies to elected HSR roles
A presentation from Debra Pascall from the Family and Injured Workers Support and Advisory Group discussing her son Ben’s story, who died in a workplace-related incident
Information about powers under the WHS legislation to issue Provisional Improvement Notices (PINs) and how to direct unsafe work to cease
The ability to network with fellow HSRs and share experiences
The latest updates and insights on workplace consultation and safety standards.
The initiative will also cover essential topics including the management of psychosocial hazards such as bullying, excessive workloads, violence and the prevention of sexual harassment.
This event follows the highly successful Regional Workplace Consultation and HSR forums held earlier this year which attracted over 600 attendees across nine locations. Participants benefited from 230 evaluations, 320 psychosocial workshops, and 280 high risk harm workshops.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis
“The day-long event reinforces the important role of health and safety representatives and will help participants receive the latest information from SafeWork NSW to help them meet their obligations and network with other HSRs.”
“The videos show how Health and Safety Representatives play a critical role in identifying and resolving workplace risks on behalf of their work group, a process which creates open and positive safety cultures.
“I commend the HSRs in the case studies for standing up, speaking out and advocating for workers. Every worker has the right to return home safely at the end of every workday.”
Released by: The Premier, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology
Scientia Professor Helen Christensen AO from UNSW Sydney and the Black Dog Institute is being recognised as the NSW Scientist of the Year in the 2024 Premier’s Prizes for Science & Engineering.
Professor Christensen is one of 10 exceptional researchers, innovators, and educators being honoured at the Premier’s Prizes for Science & Engineering, held at Government House in Sydney tonight.
Professor Christensen’s selection as Scientist of the Year is in recognition of her pioneering work in digital mental health research, which has significantly influenced mental health care practice both in Australia and internationally.
In 2000, she developed the digital intervention program, MoodGYM, to reduce depression in young people, which has been used by millions of people across more than 160 countries.
She served as the Executive Director and Chief Scientist at the Black Dog Institute from 2011 to 2021, while her work creating a model of suicide prevention has been incorporated into national and state suicide prevention plans.
She will receive a trophy and $60,000 in prize money.
Nine category winners are also being announced tonight, each receiving a trophy and $5,000 in prize money:
Excellence in Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry or Physics Professor Susan Coppersmith, UNSW Sydney
Excellence in Biological Sciences (Ecological, environmental, agricultural and organismal) Distinguished Professor Ian Paulsen, Macquarie University
Excellence in Medical Biological Sciences (Cell and molecular, medical, veterinary and genetics) Professor Stuart Tangye, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Excellence in Engineering or Information and Communications Technologies Distinguished Professor Willy Susilo, University of Wollongong
NSW Early Career Researcher of the Year (Biological Sciences) Dr Ira Deveson, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
NSW Early Career Researcher of the Year (Physical Sciences) – Dr. Jiayan Liao, University of Technology Sydney
Leadership in Innovation in NSW Distinguished Professor Karu Esselle, University of Technology Sydney
Innovation in NSW Public Sector Science and Engineering Dr Annette Cowie, NSW Department of Primary Industries and University of New England
Innovation in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics Teaching in NSW Jodie Attenborough, Tottenham Central School
“These awards are about recognising and thanking our state’s most outstanding scientists, engineers, and teachers.
“Professor Christensen’s work has helped millions of people worldwide.
“Her online self-help courses to help address common mental health disorders have been pioneering.
“Mental health support is vital for so many people. Professor Christensen has improved support for people in NSW, and people around the world.
“Mental health is one of the pressing challenges of our time, and Professor Christensen’s innovations have made an important impact.”
Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology Anoulack Chanthivong said:
“Tonight is the NSW Government’s chance to recognise some of the leaders from NSW’s world-class research and innovation community.
“We celebrate not only research excellence, but visionary work that is driving the establishment of new high-tech companies to tackle some of our state’s most difficult problems.”
“Tonight, we celebrate leading thinkers in areas as diverse as quantum physics, synthetic biology, immunology, cybersecurity and satellite telecommunications.
“We acknowledge the work of established senior academics as well as lauding the contributions of our best early career researchers.
“My congratulations to everyone honoured tonight, and especially to 2024 Scientist of the Year, Professor Helen Christensen, for her profound impact in the critically important area of mental health.”
2024 NSW Scientist of the Year Professor Helen Christensen said:
“I’m deeply honoured to receive this award from the NSW Government.
“It’s exciting to see this recognition for scientific work in mental health—an issue now seen globally as the leading health concern, even surpassing cancer, obesity and COVID.
“Mental health science has the power to transform lives. We’re at a tipping point, where advancements in genetics, AI, and software engineering, are reshaping our understanding of mental illness, the impact of societal factors, and how technology delivers proven treatments to those who need them.”
The Little Ice Age is a period from around 1300 to 1850, when global temperatures dropped significantly. While the exact cause of this phenonemon is unknown, theories range from volcanic eruptions to European colonization of the Americas.
Our research into England’s Little Ice Age during the 16th and 17th centuries has unearthed more than 1,800 unique pieces of weather observations, hidden in documents like diaries and letters. Local and national chronicles embedded reports of extreme weather among accounts of war and monarchs. Extreme weather pamphlets publicized tragic effects of earthquakes, floods and storms, much like our media today.
Our team has created an open access database called the Weather Extremes in England’s Little Ice Age 1500-1700. This database visually maps both extreme and temperate weather in the age of Shakespeare and can help to advance modern climate science.
More fundamentally, these experiential accounts provide a fascinating window into a world not too different from our own. While the causes of the climate change of today are well known, and likely different from that of the Little Ice Age, the experiences of living through both events are at times eerily similar. Understanding these past experiences can help us to better understand our present day and to develop more robust policies in the here and now.
Frost fairs on the River Thames have become a familiar cultural reference point for England’s Little Ice Age. Our data shows that the river froze over a mere four times in the 16th century — in 1516, 1537, 1564 and 1590 — and there were only intermittent observations of unusual cold or snow.
The 17th century was markedly different. Reports of cold came thick and fast, with the exception of a few years between 1620 and 1643.
Title page from The Great Frost: ‘Cold doings in London, except it be at the lotterie. With newes out of the country. A familiar talk betwene a country-man and a citizen touching this terrible frost and the great lotterie, and the effects of them.’ Printed at London: For Henry Gosson, 1608. Attributed to Thomas Dekker. (Houghton Library, Harvard University)
This was the century of frost fairs on the Thames. With the first 17th century fair in 1608, these events were celebrated by English playwright Thomas Dekker in his pamphlet The Great Frost.
Drinking, barbering and games were on display as London’s citizens marvelled at the novelty of entertainment on the ice. The freezes were frequent enough to become an institution.
By the winter of 1683-1684, the frost fair had become a city within a city, expanding across the ice with avenues of booths, bear and bull-baiting rings and boats-turned-chariots pulled by enterprising watermen across the now solid river.
But these iconic events were just one aspect of Little Ice Age weather in England.
Storms and floods
In the 16th century, severe rain storms were far more common than cold snaps.
On Oct. 5, 1570, “a terrible tempest of wind and raine” caused flooding from Lincolnshire to London as rivers overflowed their banks, drowning towns, fields, crops and cattle. Storm surges inundated the coastline.
Four years later, towns from Newport to St. Ives suffered “raging floods,” and a “giant sea fish” (whale) washed up in the Thames from a massive surge up river. In May 1594, “soddane showres of haile [and] raine” destroyed houses, iron mills, crops and cattle in Sussex and Surrey. September of that year saw another deluge, with bridges taken down in Cambridge and Ware.
This all changed in the 17th century, following the Great Flood that struck Bristol and surrounding areas in 1607. Extreme cold spells then became more frequent, and major storm events were less common. The winter of 1612-1613 saw a number of violent storms recorded in the pamphlet Wonders of this Windie Winter, with livestock lost from Newcastle to Dover and bodies from shipwrecks washing aground in the Thames.
In the next 40 years, though, only the years of 1626 and 1637 contain reports of significant storm events causing loss of life or livestock. Instead of extreme storms, this century was marked more by regular but moderate rainfall, consistent with colder, wetter conditions normally associated with the Little Ice Age.
Fire and heat
If colder, wetter weather was a new normal for 17th century Britons, the hot, dry spring of 1666 caught Londoners unprepared. The Great Fire of London was one of the worst disasters of the age, and diarist John Evelyn recounts that “the heate … had even ignited the aire,” a comment reminiscent of descriptions of wildfire spread today.
Yet periods of extreme heat were surprisingly frequent during the previous century, especially in the England that Shakespeare knew. More than a dozen droughts were recorded across England in the 16th century, usually broken by extreme storms or floods. It never rained, it seems, but it poured. The Thames dried up completely in 1592.
As Thomas Short wrote in his Chronological History of English Weather, “an excessive drought, great death of cattle from want of water; springs and brooks were dried up; horsemen could ride the Thames.” Locals went into the mud to retrieve items long lost to the river.
Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon was nearly destroyed by fire twice, in 1594 and 1595, due to severe drought and heat. The warning signs were there for Londoners to beware of hot spells in the next century, but frost fairs and wet weather may have bred complacency.
Lessons for today
The Weather Extremes in England’s Little Ice Age 1500-1700 database is revealing a picture of the world of Shakespeare and early modern England that upends a simplified picture of the Little Ice Age. More than just a world of frosts and freezes, the English Little Ice Age could be known as well as an age of fire and rain.
The documents in our database are the reports of people who lived in a climatically changing world and saw its shifts firsthand. It shows how important weather crowd-sourcing can be, even centuries later. Contemporary projects like the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, or the Northern Tornadoes Project, continue in the spirit of this work.
But our data could also provide insight into today’s extreme weather. Historical flooding patterns might provide reference points to better manage and understand the unstable weather experienced in the British Isles today.
Madeline Bassnett has received funding from SSHRC for the Weather Extremes in England’s Little Ice Age 1500-1700 project.
Laurie Johnson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Headline: 100 billion reasons why the night-time economy is no afterthought
Published: 30 October 2024
Released by: Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy
The NSW night-time economy is worth $102 billion a year, employs a fifth of all workers and supports more than 53,000 core businesses, including music venues, restaurants, bars and leisure activity providers.
These are some of the insights from Data After Dark, a pioneering new platform released today that will track growth and changes in economic activity across the state between 6pm and 6am.
Data After Dark, which draws from multiple information sources, including Opal travel data and spending transactions, will create a baseline to track the impact of the Minns Labor Government’s Vibrancy laws that are cutting red tape and tearing up the restrictions that have strangled nightlife and the night-time economy.
The Vibrancy Reforms have:
Torn up “no entertainment” clauses and bizarre restrictions on what genres of music venues can play
Made outdoor dining permanently available
Stopped single neighbour noise complaints from shutting down pubs and other licensed venues
Required property buyers to be notified when they are moving into an entertainment zone to reduce friction between venues and neighbours
Ended the outdated rule that prevents people living within five kilometres of a registered club from signing in without first becoming a member
Binned restrictions that prevented patrons from standing while drinking outside a licenced premises
Businesses and the public will have free access to quarterly updates of Data After Dark, while NSW Government, its agencies and participating councils will be able to access live information via a world-first dashboard feed.
In the three months to June 30, the report found spending in person on Saturday night eclipsed Thursday night ($50.8 million vs $46.7 million). In the March quarter, Thursday night had recorded the most spending at night.
At a business level, the biggest growth over the past year has been in takeaway food and sports and physical recreation services, including gyms, while liquor retailing and gambling have recorded declines in their share of the night-time economy.
Other insights from the June quarter:
More businesses opened, including an additional 1,197 core night-time businesses year-on-year
Public transport recorded year-on-year growth of 4.4%, with 35.7 million Opal tap-offs at night
People in NSW made 464 million night-time trips across all transport modes
Night-time in-person spending was $3.57 billion – or 16.9% of the 24-hour total
By location, the “eastern harbour city” which includes the Sydney CBD, eastern suburbs and inner-west, represents 52 per cent of the total night time economy across the “six cities” that incorporates Newcastle, Wollongong, Central Coast, the Parramatta area and the “western parkland city” beyond.
Data After Dark will be launched by Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham at the second annual NEON Forum in Sydney today which brings together the world’s leading experts on night-time economies, hosted by the NSW Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner.
Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, John Graham said:
“A strong night-time economy is critical to a global city like Sydney and the centres of commerce right across NSW.
“The insights that Data After Dark provides will help business and government understand this part of the economy better and make the most informed, data-led decisions on how to grow its contribution.
“The platform leverages a wealth of information on night-time trading, safety and mobility to tailor policy like never before. This is a world-leading tool to monitor the night-time economy.
“As part of the Minns Labor Government’s Vibrancy Reforms we are stripping back red tape and ending some of the frustrating rules and restrictions that have stopped people enjoying time outside the home after hours.
24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said:
“Previously there has been no real baseline dataset that offers an insightful health check of our night-time economies across the State. Data After Dark fills that gap as the first of its kind tool that establishes a set of universal measures for night-time economies.
“The application of reliable and consistent data will help State agencies and local councils as they work with the private sector and communities to build lively and safe going out districts. We also now have a tool to make sure we can measure the performance of new initiatives and programs.”
Jeremy Gill, Head of Policy, Committee for Sydney said:
“Sydney’s night-time economy is buzzing again. To ensure it meets the needs of all Sydneysiders, we need to know who’s involved, how they’re engaging with it, what they want and what that looks like in different parts of the city.
“Great data is central to this. The Data after Dark platform gives us insights into the current state of affairs and empowers us to advocate for policies that can effectively address our challenges and seize the opportunities ahead.”
Headline: Used car ratings provide a roadmap to second hand safety
Published: 30 October 2024
Released by: Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Minister for Transport
Used Car Safety Ratings released today show the wide gap between a safe second-hand vehicle and a poor performer in a crash.
The NSW Government is urging used car buyers – particularly young people and their parents looking for a first car – to use the guide to buy a car that protects most for a particular price point.
The annual guide shows a driver of the lowest rated vehicle is ten times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a driver in the safest vehicle.
Footage released today by the NSW Government shows the dramatic difference in outcomes when a 2012 Great Wall V200 and a 2012 Holden Colorado were crashed head on.
The one star-rated Great Wall is decimated in the crash, putting driver and passenger at risk of serious injury while the four-star Colorado provided significantly better safety protection.
The 2024 Used Car Safety guide rates 404 vehicles manufactured since 2000. Of those, 110 earned an “excellent” five-star rating – four more than in 2023 and 55 more than in 2022.
The best of the five-star vehicles are marked as a ‘Safer Pick’, with 60 per cent of those vehicles available to purchase second hand for less than $10,000.
Safer picks include:
Mazda 3 (2013 – 2019)
Toyota Camry (2011 – 2022)
Volkswagen Touareg (2011 – 2019)
Cars that received a very poor one-star rating include:
Ford Fiesta (2004 – 2008)
Hyundai Accent (2000 – 2006)
Toyota Camry (1997- 2002)
Holden Commodore VT/VX (1997 – 2002)
The vast majority of the vehicles given a ‘Safer Pick’ rating were manufactured from 2008 onwards, demonstrating the benefits of more advanced safety equipment and design improvements like electronic stability control and advanced occupant protection systems.
The ratings, which are in their 32nd year, were produced by Monash University in partnership with Transport for NSW and other transport agencies around Australia and New Zealand to help motorists choose the safest used car that fits their budget, needs, and lifestyle.
“The hunt for a second-hand car has generally focused on a car that will not break down. No one wants to buy a lemon.
“What is just as important is considering which used car delivers the safest performance for your budget. Your choice might literally save your life.
“The Used Car Safety Ratings guide provide simple, reliable safety information at no cost into the hands of vehicle buyers.
“I urge parents of young people who may be looking for a first car to consider safety above all else and if you can buy a vehicle that is the safest in its category or price point, do so.
“A driver behind the wheel of the lowest-rated vehicle is ten times more likely to be killed or seriously injured compared to a driver in the safest vehicle. The choice is that clear.”
“With more than 60 per cent of the best-rated cars available for $10,000 or less, you don’t have to pick the most expensive car on the market to make a safer choice.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:
“For drivers in regional NSW, distances of travel are longer and many people use older vehicles, so choosing a vehicle with a high safety rating increases your chances of surviving a crash.
“The 2024 Used Car Safety Ratings guide helps regional drivers find the safest options, ensuring they are well-protected no matter where their journey takes them.
“Cost of living, particularly in regional areas, is an important issue for the Government and that is why we are encouraging everyone considering purchasing a second-hand car to use this guide to ensure they choose a safe vehicle.”
Headline: New public forecourt is the next chapter for State Library
Published: 30 October 2024
Released by: Minister for the Arts, Minister for Lands and Property
The forecourt to the State Library of NSW will be transformed into a new public domain as the institution prepares to celebrate its 200-year anniversary in 2026.
The Minns Labor Government is focused on building better communities, with a new development application lodged with the City of Sydney to turn the forecourt into a new 3,400 square metre public domain.
This submission has been lodged by Property and Development NSW (PDNSW) and proposes to integrate public art and native plants around a new grassed plaza, that supports library events and community activities. It will double the size of the current forecourt to create a vibrant new public space.
The works propose to realign Sir John Young Crescent and Hospital Road, improving safety for pedestrians and drivers, to provide better links to the Royal Botanic Gardens and The Domain. The existing Shakespeare Memorial, originally presented to the city in 1914, will be relocated closer to the library in the forecourt area.
The State Library welcomed over one million visitors (a 30% increase on 2022/23) during the June 2024 fiscal year, with more than 300,000 readers and visitors anticipated during September and November for this year’s HSC period.
If approved, the new State Library forecourt proposal could deliver public outcomes consistent with the Macquarie Street East Precinct 20-year vision and masterplan. At the other end of Macquarie Street, early works have provided the space for another new public plaza, next to the Registrar General’s Building, to be known as QEII Place in memory of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Minister for Roads and Minister for the Arts John Graham said:
“The State Library of NSW is the oldest continuously operating library in Australia that remains a vital and contemporary institution loved by readers, researchers and the thousands of students who use it every day.
“The plan to create and deliver a new public space that celebrates the library’s 200-year anniversary in 2026 is another chapter in the State Library’s own story.
“Supporting the delivery of this new public domain, the proposed road and traffic changes will improve public access to other Sydney cultural institutions and this area around Macquarie Street.
Minister for Lands and Property and Minister for Small Business Steve Kamper said:
“The Minns Labor Government is focused on building better communities. This project is the next step in our vision to create a vibrant, connected arts and culture destination.”
“We have submitted plans that strive to create spaces in the Macquarie Street East Precinct that are welcoming and safe for all. We want to encourage families and students to utilise our public spaces and access our free cultural institutions.”
State Librarian of New South Wales Dr Caroline Butler-Bowden said:
“The State Library is a much-loved public institution with historic spaces and galleries, world-renowned collections, and dynamic events and learning programs. It offers something for everyone – readers, families, researchers, students, local and international visitors – every day of the week.
“The new public forecourt will help grow the Library as a vibrant cultural heart of the city, inviting everyone to freely explore and enjoy this truly unique place.”
First Minister and Scottish Chambers of Commerce issue joint call for investment to support growth.
A joint call for investment has been issued to the Chancellor on the eve of the UK Budget from Scottish Government and Scottish Chambers of Commerce.
Speaking to business leaders at a reception with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce on Tuesday 29 October, First Minister John Swinney said:
“My Government is committed to growing the economy to generate the wealth to invest in our public services and eradicate child poverty. We want to use that investment to create a partnership between government and business that will make the most of Scotland’s many economic opportunities.
“It takes political willpower to adapt and evolve our economies and grow thriving societies in all four nations – something the Chancellor can signal by including steps to advance the Acorn carbon capture and storage project in the UK Budget, which would provide new opportunities for workers in the oil and gas sector in Grangemouth and in other parts of Scotland.
“The Office for Budget Responsibility highlighted recently the potential for public investment to deliver permanent improvements in the economy. It is welcome that my calls for the Chancellor to amend her fiscal rules have been heard, with indications last week that there will be scope for greater investment.
“The Chancellor has the chance to choose to deliver a UK Budget that invests in our public services and supports the entrepreneurial spirit displayed in Scotland’s business sector. With these new rules in place the Chancellor must use the fiscal headroom they create to deliver a Budget that immediately and significantly enhances Scotland’s resource and capital funding, enabling us to invest more in our public services and take forward the vital infrastructure projects that support economic growth, net zero, and action to tackle child poverty.”
Scottish Chambers of Commerce Chief Executive Dr Liz Cameron CBE said:
“Our budget focus is on growth, investment and competitiveness. That means investing in skills, technology and infrastructure, and equipping the workforce for tomorrow’s challenges.
“The Chancellor’s actions and the message they send will directly impact business confidence and investment at a time when we need to create positive momentum. We hope that our calls to support business have been listened to and not ignored.”
Source: New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
30 Oct 2024
The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) Cowra Agricultural Research and Advisory Station has experienced one of its most successful breeding seasons to date.
Building on six years of strong lamb marking and weaning results, this year’s success can be largely attributed to flock and pasture management despite the slow early winter pasture growth and the cold, wet and windy winter conditions experienced in late June and early July. It was also enhanced by tactical use of forage crops and optimal use of pregnancy scanning data.
This year’s lamb marking results for the Merino flock at the research station have been nothing short of exceptional, with lamb marking rates between 130% and 140% per ewe joined.
This impressive performance is well above the national lamb marking average of 90% for Merinos, which can vary significantly due to local conditions such as; cold temperatures, wet conditions, windy weather or drought.
NSW DPIRD Livestock Systems Senior Research Scientist Dr Gordon Refshauge said the excellent results showcase the effectiveness of the ongoing research and management practices implemented by the Department’s research team.
“The Cowra Agricultural Research and Advisory Station staff’s dedictation and expertise are driving performance well above the industry average, ” Dr Refshauge said.
“Staff categorised pregnant ewes into groups based on litter size of singles, twins, and multiples and provided feed quality and quantity tailored to each group’s specific needs.
“The combination of these strategic practices, alongside a healthy and well-managed flock, led to a successful lambing season, showcasing the Station’s commitment to maximising lambing potential.”
This season, the Station’s flock exhibited lower pregnancy rates than normal but also an unusually high number of triplets and quadruplets.
Dr Refshauge said this unusual occurence can be attributed to the ewes being in excellent condition prior to mating and continuing to gain weight during the mating period.
“Due to limited pasture growth, and high feed demands, the ewes were placed in their lambing paddocks earlier than usual, after finishing grazing mixed species forage crops or dual-purpose canola,” Dr Refshauge said.
“These pre-lambing management decisions were critical for lambing, as pastures had been rested from grazing for 4 – 6 weeks prior to the commencement of lambing and the ewes were in the right body condition for lambing.
“By integrating these precision management strategies with optimal feeding practices, we’ve exceeded our lambing goals for 2024, showcasing the capability of our flock and team and hoping to continue this for years to come.”
For more information on the NSW DPIRD Cowra Agricultural Institute, please visit our website
The inspector of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has released her long-awaited report on the failure of the commission to investigate the Robodebt scandal.
The report finds the commissioner of the NACC committed “officer misconduct”. He failed to fully remove himself from the decision not to investigate the scandal.
In response, the NACC has agreed to appoint an “independent eminent person” to reconsider its decision not to investigate the Robodebt scandal.
It’s an embarrassing moment for the Commonwealth’s newly created anti-corruption watchdog.
But it’s also an opportunity for the NACC to do what the public expects of it: act decisively to protect public trust in government.
How did we get here?
The NACC was created in 2022 after a federal election campaign that often focused on transparency and integrity in government.
Earlier this year, the commission announced it would not be looking into the Robodebt scandal.
This was despite the Royal Commission into Robodebt referring six people to the commission for further investigation.
The commission is monitored by an inspector, independent of the commission and the government. After receiving hundreds of complaints, Inspector Gail Furness launched an investigation into why the NACC didn’t look into Robodebt.
The issue was the first big test for the oversight body.
The inspector is legally limited as to what it can look at, but its finding of “officer misconduct” offers a broader opportunity for NACC to change course.
Robodebt was a clear breach of the public trust, with thousands of Australians feeling betrayed by the way the Morrison government acted. NACC now has a second chance to look into the scandal.
Unique anti-corruption tradition
NACC’s decision not to investigate was a departure from a long history of anti-corruption oversight in Australia.
It has its roots in corruption scandals in the late 1980s in Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales.
These scandals involved the vast misuse of public power and resources by powerful executive branch officials. The response was far-reaching.
In Queensland, explosive allegations of police and government involvement in gambling and corruption led to the creation of an inquiry led by Tony Fitzgerald.
This inquiry made a number of wide-ranging recommendations, including the creation of a commission. It would eventually would become today’s Crime and Corruption Commission.
In NSW, high-ranking ministers and police were caught embezzling funds and misusing public influence.
Public outrage led to the creation of Australia’s first anti-corruption commission, the powerful Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
In parliament, the NSW premier explained that ICAC was established “independent of the Executive Government and responsible only to Parliament”.
He went on to argue that its role was not to prosecute crime, but instead to enforce the public trust and dispel a “cloud of suspicion” that hung over the NSW government.
In WA in the 1980s, allegations emerged that executive branch officials were using their control of public resources to enrich themselves and preserve their own power.
In response, a royal commission in the early 1990s made a number of recommendations, including the creation of an anti-corruption commission. The commission would be an “independent parliamentary agency” responsible to parliament in carrying out its oversight duties.
Since then, all ten Australian jurisdictions have adopted anti-corruption commissions. Many of these commissions are described as officers of parliament intended to investigate breaches of the public trust.
In all states and territories, excluding Victoria and (recently) South Australia, “breaches of the public trust” or “dishonest or improper” conduct can be investigated by these agencies. Anti-corruption agencies have therefore emerged as important guardians of public trust in government.
Anti-corruption amnesia
However, we seem to have forgotten this tradition in recent years.
In South Australia, a 2021 law strippedthe state’s intergrity body of the power to investigate “maladministration” and “misconduct” in public administration and confined its scope to criminal activity.
In Victoria, then-Premier Daniel Andrews downplayed the significant breaches of public trust found by Victoria’s anti-corruption agency as being merely “educational”.
Most recently, the NACC’s refusal to review the Robodebt scandal also suggests it is unaware of the traditional purpose of Australian anti-corruption oversight.
The Robodebt scandal rivals the scandals of the 1980s in its threat to public trust.
One submission to the Royal Commission report put it clearly:
I feel utterly betrayed by the government for this […] myself, and everyone else who turned up to every meeting they had to, jumped through every hoop and tried to do the right thing, were treated like criminals and cheats, when all the while it was the department’s scheme that was illegal.
The NACC now has the opportunity to change course and broadly inquire into the Robodebt scandal.
This includes more than just an inquiry into the referrals from the Robodebt Royal Commission. It can also look into the way that a scandal of this magnitude happened and how we can prevent it in the future.
Failing to ask these questions endangers what the WA Royal Commission 30 years ago described as the “trust principle”. It said:
institutions of government and the officials and agencies of government exist for the public, to serve the interests of the public.
The NACC has been given a second chance to serve the public through properly investigating Robodebt.
If it chooses to take it, it will signal that the commission understands it plays a key role in preserving one of the most valuable commodities in Australian democracy: trust in government.
William Partlett is the Stephen Charles Fellow at The Centre for Public Integrity.
Headline: Designs unveiled for Cessnock Hospital Redevelopment
Published: 30 October 2024
Released by: Minister for Health, Minister for Regional Health
The Cessnock community is invited to provide feedback on the latest designs for the $138 million Cessnock Hospital Redevelopment.
The NSW Government is investing $138 million in the Cessnock Hospital Redevelopment to significantly enhance healthcare services for the region and meet the health care needs of the growing population.
The schematic design provides the next level of detail for the redevelopment, showcasing modern healthcare facilities and the expanded services to be delivered.
The redevelopment will include construction of a new two-level acute services building that will house an expanded emergency department, two inpatient wards featuring single and two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, a new medical imaging service, and day surgery spaces.
In the 2024-25 NSW Budget an additional $26.5 million was allocated to the Cessnock Hospital Redevelopment, bringing the total investment to $138 million. This will support the delivery of additional facilities including an operating theatre and procedure room, a Central Sterilising Services Department (CSSD) and a modern pharmacy.
The Cessnock community is encouraged to attend information drop-in sessions and give feedback on:
Wednesday 13 November, 9:00am – 1:00pm, Cessnock Village Shopping Centre
Consultation with staff and the community will continue throughout the project including working groups that will seek community input in the Arts in Health program and landscaping and outdoor spaces to ensure that local culture is reflected in the hospital’s design.
Construction is expected to begin in 2025, following the appointment of a main works contractor.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:
“From the expanded emergency department and operating theatres, this redevelopment will transform healthcare for the people of Cessnock by addressing capacity and supporting contemporary models of care.
“The Cessnock Hospital Redevelopment is being informed by extensive staff and community feedback and we encourage the community to have their say on this next stage of design which will be considered as part of the planning and design process.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Cessnock Clayton Barr:
“This project will deliver the healthcare enhancements the Cessnock community deserves in a welcoming and supportive environment.
“The additional services including theatres, Central Sterilising Services Department, and pharmacy will benefit communities across the Lower Hunter region.
“I would like to see as many people as possible involved in the conversation about our future hospital; what it might look like and how it might work best for everyone.
“So please, if you can, come along to either of the planned community information sessions to play your part in this once in a generation build.”
Quotes attributable to the Executive Director Infrastructure, Sustainability and Planning, Dr Ramsey Awad:
“We are committed to delivering a state-of-the-art hospital that provides the best care to the Cessnock community close to home.
“We’ve listened carefully to the community’s feedback and responded with a design that not only meets today’s healthcare demands but will also serve the region well into the future.”
Headline: Justice Michael Ball appointed to Court of Appeal
Published: 30 October 2024
Released by: Attorney General
Experienced lawyer, Justice Michael Ball, has been appointed to be a Judge of the Court of Appeal, part of the Supreme Court of NSW.
His Honour brings more than 45 years of legal expertise to the state’s top appellate court. Prior to being appointed to the Supreme Court in 2010, he spent most of his career working in Sydney as a solicitor with international commercial law firm Allen Allen & Hemsley/Allens Arthur Robinson.
Since 2014, Justice Ball has sat in the Commercial and Technology and Construction Lists. He became the List Judge for those lists and the Commercial Arbitration List in 2022.
His Honour started his career in South Australia with Mollison Litchfield in 1980 while also tutoring commercial law at the University of Adelaide. The following year he joined the Australian Law Reform Commission, where he worked on the Insurance Contracts and Evidence Law references. He became a solicitor at Allen & Hemsley in 1983.
Justice Ball was appointed Senior Associate two years later and in 1987 made a Partner in the litigation department.
During his 27 years with the firm, his Honour was involved in several high-profile cases in competition and insolvency law. This included C7, Antico v Heath Fielding Australia, the Linter litigation, Pioneer and Giant Resources litigation and Trade Practices Commission v Australian Meat Holdings.
His Honour graduated from the University of Adelaide in 1978 with a combined degree in Arts and Law. He is a co-author of ‘Kelly and Ball Principles of Insurance Law’, a leading text on Insurance law in Australia.
Justice Ball will be sworn in as a Judge of Appeal on 4 November 2024.
Attorney General Michael Daley said:
“I am delighted to announce the appointment of Justice Michael Ball to the Court of Appeal bench.
“His Honour is a highly respected lawyer and member of the Supreme Court, and his expertise will be invaluable to the Court and everyone who interacts with it.
“I congratulate Justice Ball on this well-deserved achievement.”
Headline: $7.2m boost for little learners – more free health checks rolled out for preschoolers
Published: 30 October 2024
Released by: Minister for Education and Early Learning, Minister for Health
More children will get free health and development checks with the Minns Labor Government today announcing $7.2 million for 881 early childhood education and care services across NSW.
The NSW Government opt-in Health and Development Checks in Early Childhood and Care program supports health professionals to visit early childhood education and care services to conduct the checks for four-year-olds to help identify additional support the children may need before school.
More than 7,000 children have received a free health and development check in their early childhood education and care service since the program began in 2023.
The checks assess various aspects of the child development, including problem solving skills, listening, talking and, social skills. Physical growth and dental health will also be monitored.
The program aims to make it easier for more services to offer the checks.
Eligible services received up to $7,500 to support:
1. Staffing to support services to deliver the health and development checks
2. Provision of private space to conduct the checks.
3. Support to address health and development needs identified through the checks.
The checks offered through early childhood education and care services provide families with a free alternative to visiting a doctor or Child and Family Health service.
Nearly half (44 per cent) of NSW children are not developmentally on track when they start school, according to the most recent Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) data.
All preschools and long day care services can participate in the Health and Development Checks in Early Childhood Education and Care program by contacting their local health district.
This is all part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to give kids across NSW the best start in life.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:
“Health and development checks provide families with valuable information about their child’s growth and development.
“Offering the free checks at early childhood education and care services makes it easier for working families to participate and ensures there is early intervention for students who need it.
“The Minns Labor Government is supporting long term health and development outcomes for all children across NSW, regardless of their family’s postcode, income or circumstances.”
Minister for Health and Regional Health Ryan Park said:
“Starting school is an exciting time, but with two in five children starting school developmentally off track we need to do more to support young children and their families.
“Providing health and development checks for four-year-olds in preschools or long day care centres makes it far more convenient for busy families to help their children have the best start to school.
“These checks especially in the first 2,000 days help families get the information they need to support their child’s development and to seek help, if needed.”
Rise in inflation and bank rates associated with rise in discrimination and worse health
A groundbreaking new study has revealed the significant impact of the cost-of-living crisis on discrimination and health outcomes among Black people in the UK, with rising interest and bank rates associated with deterioration in general and mental health and rising discrimination.
The study, published in the journal Ethnic and Racial Studies during Black History Month, is the first to examine the impact of interest and bank rates during the cost-of-living crisis on the health of Black people.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) distributed participation forms during social events in London celebrating 2021 Black History Month. An e-questionnaire was sent to participants between October and December 2021. Follow-up data collection occurred in 2022 and 2023. A total of 264 people took part in the research in 2021, 235 in 2022, and 223 in 2023, resulting in 722 observations overall.
According to the study, during the 2022/2023 cost-of-living crisis, discrimination towards Black people increased by 3.75%, general health decreased by 4.45% and mental health decreased by 5.62%.
Instances of discrimination were associated with a 26.4% deterioration in general health and a 27.1% deterioration in mental health.
Inflation rose from 2.49% in 2021 to 7.9% in 2022, before falling to 6.83% in 2023. In the same time period, the Bank of England’s base interest rate rose from 0.11% in 2021 to 1.58% in 2022 and further to 4.81% in 2023. Researchers found that among the participants, inflation was associated with a 2.9% increase in discrimination towards Black people, while the rising bank rate was associated with a 1.1% increase in discrimination.
Rising inflation was linked to a 2.3% decline in general health and a 2.5% decline in mental health, while the Bank Rate is associated with a 1.9% decline in general health and a 2.3% decline in mental health.
The study also found that minority subgroups within the Black community, such as gay men and lesbian women, face higher levels of discrimination and poorer health outcomes compared to reference groups.
Lead author Nick Drydakis, Professor of Economics at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said:
“The study provides critical insights into how discrimination is related to general and mental health outcomes within the Black community during the cost-of-living crisis.
“It was a time of great uncertainty for the majority of people living in the UK and is still having an impact today, but it is clear that it had a disproportionate impact on minority groups.
“In times of social and economic upheaval, tensions between different communities often intensify, particularly when dominant groups believe their access to resources to be under threat. This can in turn lead to a rise in prejudice and discrimination.
“The study underlines the need to work towards creating a more equal society and improving the well-being of everybody, particularly those who are most vulnerable.”
Improvements will enhance pedestrian accessibility creating a safer environment for everyone.
A new road layout will be introduced to Downshire Bridge (The Cut) Banbridge as the £6m public realm scheme nears completion following a major investment. Changes to enhance pedestrian accessibility and the movement of traffic around the Downshire Bridge will take effect from 7pm on Sunday 17th November 2024.
Road resurfacing and new layout works will take place from 7pm on Saturday 16th November through to 7pm on Sunday 17th November. Overnight weekend works will be carried out to minimise disruption to the busy town centre.
The key changes coming into effect from Sunday 17th November 2024 will be:
The introduction of two ‘Give Way’ signs and road markings at the top of Newry Street and Bridge Street. This means drivers should stop and give way on their approach up the legs of ‘The Cut’.
The traffic priority will now be for vehicles moving through Scarva Street and Rathfriland Street.
The existing pedestrian crossing on Scarva Street has been moved closer to the junction with Bridge Street.
A second pedestrian crossing on Rathfriland Street, close to Houston’s/Menary’s shop corner which aims to create a safer street crossing for pedestrians in this area.
Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough, Councillor Sarah Duffy said:
“As public realm works near completion it is great to see the positive impact this significant investment has had to Banbridge Town Centre. With new and improved pavements and footpaths, feature lighting and street furniture this project has not only created a high-quality and better-connected streetscape, it has strongly focused on improving safety and accessibility for all users to create a safer environment for everyone.
“The remaining works will introduce changes surrounding the Downshire bridge with priority for pedestrians, as well as improving the junctions for vehicles and traffic flow across the bridge. I understand it will take time to adjust to the new layout and I encourage everyone to embrace the changes recommended to improve this area and make it safer for everyone.”
During the initial design stages of the public realm scheme, extensive consultations were undertaken with a range of user groups including the Chamber of Commerce, Section 75 groups, such as RNIB, Guide Dogs UK and the Older People’s Alliance. The Department for Infrastructure advised that the junction at The Cut should be improved to adhere to new guidance.
An audit was carried out by Inclusive Mobility and Transport Advisory Committee (IMTAC), which identified the junction as a particularly unfriendly environment for pedestrians.
Michael Larimor, from IMTAC, who completed the audit report on Banbridge commented:
“In our original report about the area around the bridge we described the layout as an unfriendly environment for most pedestrians but completely inaccessible for many disabled people. The new road layout goes a long way to addressing these issues.
“The simple change of road priority requiring users of the bridge slip roads to give way immediately makes pedestrians crossing at junctions safer. This coupled with two zebras providing pedestrians with priority crossing across Scarva Street and Rathfriland Street changes the nature of the bridge area completely, giving a much greater priority to pedestrians in the area. The improved sight lines and the reinstatement of kerbs, coupled with the changes in road priority makes the entire area safer and more accessible for disabled people in particular.”
New road layout signage will be in operation to make drivers and pedestrians aware of the changes and to remind them to approach with caution until users become familiar with the new road layout.
To find out more information about the public realm scheme and to view a video animation of the new road layout and changes coming into effect on Sunday 17th November 2024, please visit www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/banbridgepublicrealm
A new community centre run by local people is set to be established in the Kirkton area of Dundee.
A partnership between a local charity – Kirkton Community Centre SCIO – and the city council has been agreed this week to pave the way for the purpose-built facility.
Following the closure and demolition of the current ageing Kirkton Community Centre, the charity intends to build and run a new centre on the same site.
The activities and services being delivered from that location would complement the city council’s Community Hub model for the area, which will be based at the nearby Baldragon and St Paul’s academies.
Previously agreed by councillors, the Hub model will see community activities provided at the two local secondary schools, with the library located at St Paul’s Academy.
Melanie Kiyani, Treasurer of Kirkton Community Centre SCIO, said: “Our members are residents of Kirkton, and we have ambitious plans for a new purpose-built community centre which will be run and owned by the community of Kirkton for the community of Kirkton.
“We are working in partnership with Dundee City Council to realise our ambitions. The new community centre will complement the Kirkton Community Hub model by providing space during the day where people can access a fully operational café, retail units, daily activities and support.
“The main aim of the new community centre will be to create community wealth. Funds raised through the community centre and other initiatives will go straight back into community projects for Kirkton as we are a not-for-profit organisation.”
The charity is currently raising funds to build the new facility, which would be community owned and run.
Leader of Dundee City Council Councillor Mark Flynn said: “I would like to congratulate all those behind the Kirkton Community Centre SCIO for their efforts in bringing their plans to this stage.
“The council will be assisting the group through demolition of the current community centre and an arrangement going forward about the site.
“They are planning to deliver a number of activities that would complement the Community Hub and would provide a range of benefits for local people.
“I am also pleased that they continue to play their part in the working group tasked with delivering our new Community Hub vision in the coming months.
“Between the charity’s community provision and our exciting Hub plans, Kirkton residents can look forward to having access to excellent community spaces and activities day and night, all year round.”
The charity said that the new community centre will provide employment and volunteering opportunities for local people and a space “where enterprise and innovation can flourish.”
Melanie continued: “Internally, the new community centre will provide a large rentable multi-purpose space for social events and community groups to use.
“There will be a rentable sensory room, a large low-cost community café open five days a week. There will be two retail units available for local people to rent in order to run local businesses.
“The building will also contain a community post office and parcel pick up / drop off point. The building will be fully accessible and contain a changing places toilet. It will also have full Wi-Fi coverage.
“Externally the community centre will include a car jet wash, community washing machines and electric charging points along with a large community garden and orchard.
“There will also be outdoor seating accessible via the community café and the Strathmartine Community Food Larder will also run from a cabin based in the outdoor area.”