Flying with British Airways can increase CO2 emissions by up to 45 per cent per passenger when compared to rival airlines on the same UK routes, according to a new Which? Travel investigation. Continue reading British Airways emitting more CO2 emissions per passenger than rival airlines
Day: January 17, 2020
Six years for North Edinburgh child sex offender
Police Scotland has commented on the sentencing of Martyn Griffiths, who was convicted of a series of sexual offences against children. Continue reading Six years for North Edinburgh child sex offender
Walk for Autism campaign registration open
Autism Initiatives Group is welcoming registrations for its third annual ‘Walk for Autism’ campaign. Continue reading Walk for Autism campaign registration open
Making Connections: Introduction to Scottish social history
New course starting at Royton Wardieburn
Young at heart – Come and find your feel good this January
Free Fitness Taster Event
With a new year always comes new year resolutions and exercise is a great way to boost your mental and physical health, no matter what age you are. Continue reading Young at heart – Come and find your feel good this January
Scotland Starts Here! New tourism drive launched for the Scottish Borders and Midlothian
Tourism businesses in the Scottish Borders and Midlothian are embarking on a new marketing campaign designed to revolutionise the area’s visitor economy. Continue reading Scotland Starts Here! New tourism drive launched for the Scottish Borders and Midlothian
170,000 children eligible for ‘game-changing’ new benefit
Applications will be taken in advance for Scottish Child Payment to help with expected high demand.
An estimated 170,000 children will be eligible for the new £10 weekly Scottish Child Payment when it goes live later this year.
To help manage demand, families will be invited to apply in advance of the benefit being introduced in the autumn. Parents will be able to apply by post, phone and online.
Applications will be assessed for eligibility in the autumn with the first payments made by Christmas.
In an additional move to assist families, Best Start Grant payments, Best Start Foods and the new Scottish Child Payment will all be available through a single application – making it more straightforward for people to access the money they are entitled to.
Social Security Secretary Shirley Anne Somerville said: “The Scottish Child Payment has rightly been described as game-changing in terms of the potential to reduce child poverty.
“That is why we are doing everything we can to introduce this as early as possible, whilst ensuring we do so in a way that is safe and secure and protects implementation plans for the other social security benefits.
“When we launched the Best Start Grant payments we experienced significant demand with 14,000 applications in the week that we opened the School Age Payment. With 170,000 children from approximately 140,000 households expected to qualify for Scottish Child Payment, eligibility is on a unprecedented scale and, as this is a recurring payment, it also brings additional complexity.
“We are gearing up to process applications carefully, accurately and efficiently. We are building capacity across our processes, systems, premises and people. And with the roll-out plan, we are asking families to help us by getting their applications in early so that we can process and start making payments as quickly as possible once this new benefit has been introduced.”
City Centre Assault: police release CCTV images
Police Scotland has released images of two men they wish to speak with in connection to an ongoing investigation into a serious assault in the city centre.
The incident took place around 2.20am on Tuesday, 15 October, 2019, in St Andrew Square. A 23-year-old man was assaulted outside a restaurant on the square, close to the junction with George Street and was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where he was treated for a serious facial injury.
Officers believe the men pictured may have information to assist their investigation and anyone who recognises them is urged to come forward.
The male in images one and two is described as white, aged between 18-22, of slim build with short brown hair. He is seen in the images to be wearing a black coloured polo shirt with a design on the collar, and is believed to have been wearing knee-length dark coloured shorts and white trainers.
The male in image three is also described as aged between 18-22, of slim build with short dark hair. He is seen wearing a black t-shirt with white writing to the chest and is believed to have been wearing black jeans and white trainers.
Detective Constable Tom Kerr of Gayfield CID said: “The victim was subjected to an unprovoked attack which left him with a serious facial injury that required surgical treatment in hospital.
“I would urge anyone with information as to the identity of the men pictured to contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 0260 of 15th October 2019. Alternatively please contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where anonymity can be maintained.”