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Serco to create significant opportunities for Scottish business

One of the UK’s leading service companies has this week committed to a significant expansion of its procurement in Scotland. Over the next three years, Serco intends to double its procurement spending from Scottish companies and to substantially increase the number of Scottish Small and Medium size Enterprises (SMEs) with which the company does business. […]

£37m EU-backed investment to unlock potential of young people in Wales

A new £37m EU-backed investment to help improve the career and life prospects of young people who are at risk of disengaging and falling out of education and training in Wales will be announced by Finance and Government Business Minister Jane Hutt. The Minister, announcing the schemes – which are backed with £25.5m from the […]

Investing in cutting edge medical research

Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health, Jamie Hepburn has announced a £6 million investment in the Scottish Genomes Partnership (SGP), ahead of a parliamentary reception to mark Rare Disease Day. The SGP is a collaboration of Scottish Universities and the NHS capitalising on £15 million investment in whole genome sequencing technology by the […]

£204 million fund for UK universities to train future science leaders and boost quantum research

Funding of over £200 million to support PhD students in engineering and physical sciences and boost the UK’s research into quantum technologies, has been announced today by Universities Minister Jo Johnson. The £167 million investment in Doctoral Training Partnerships and £37 million investment in the UK’s National Quantum Technologies Programme will support cutting-edge research across the UK […]

FSB calls for Budget to back enterprise, reform business rates and simplify taxes

In its submission to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in advance of the 2016 Spring Budget Statement, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has called on the Government to strengthen small business confidence by clearly and consistently backing enterprise. The FSB’s recent quarterly survey shows small business confidence is cooling in the face of deteriorating […]

Creative industries worth almost £10m an hour to economy

New figures reveal that the UK’s Creative Industries are now worth £84.1 billion per year to the UK economy. British films, music, video games, crafts and publishing are taking a lead role in driving the UK’s economic recovery, according to the latest Government statistics. The figures show the sector growing at almost twice the rate […]

Sajid Javid showcases the Midlands Engine to Chinese investors

Business Secretary Sajid Javid will oversee the signing of commercial UK-China contracts in Birmingham with the Chinese Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng. This is part of the UK-China 12th Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETC) to boost cooperation and understanding between the 2 countries. The UK attracts up to a third of all Chinese investment […]

PM: Northern Ireland is better off in a reformed EU

The Prime Minister said that more than 60% of Northern Ireland’s exports go to the EU, and around 40% of its investment comes from the EU. Northern Ireland is better off in a reformed European Union, the Prime Minister has said ahead of his first visit to the region since the date of the EU […]

Homebuyers save hundreds of millions from stamp duty reform

Over 780,000 homebuyers saved an estimated £657 million on Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) in the year since the tax was reformed, the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced. Transactions levels at the top end of the market remained constant under the new regime and stamp duty receipts from homes costing more than £1 […]

New fund will boost house building and regeneration

A new £25m fund will provide an estimated 500 new affordable homes specifically to rural areas across Scotland. The Rural Housing Fund will increase supply of long term affordable housing in rural areas over the next three years, by assisting the building of new homes and refurbishment of existing buildings. The homes will contribute to […]