December 2017

December 28, 2017 In Client news By Message Matters

Charity overwhelmed by volunteer support – logging over a quarter of a million hours in 2017

Keep Scotland Beautiful calculates benefit of volunteer hours and encourages more involvement in 2018 Environmental charity, Keep Scotland Beautiful, is celebrating the success of volunteers from all across Scotland who have worked to support its popular programmes, Beautiful Scotland and It's Your Neighbourhood, throughout 2017. The charity,...

December 27, 2017 In Client news By Message Matters

REFORM SCOTLAND: TALK OF SCOTRAIL NATIONALISATION IS A “MEANINGLESS DISTRACTION”

Advisory Board member Tom Harris, a former Transport Minister, says the focus should be on infrastructure improvements Reform Scotland, the independent, non-party think tank, has labelled the ongoing discussion around nationalising ScotRail as a “meaningless distraction”. The think tank has today released a paper called “On the right...

December 26, 2017 In Client news By Message Matters

New figures show overwhelming support for fox hunting ban in Scotland

Eight in ten of those polled think fox hunting should be illegal New figures published by the League Against Cruel Sports Scotland show eight in ten people think fox hunting should be illegal in Scotland with seven in ten absolutely committed to keeping the ban. The...

December 20, 2017 In Client news By Message Matters

Scottish Government’s new Planning Bill needs national and regional housing targets, according to Chair of the Scottish Alliance for People and Places and former First Minister

The Chair of the Scottish Alliance for People and Places and the former First Minister of Scotland, the Rt. Hon. Henry McLeish, has pressed the Scottish Government to be more ambitious on housing in its recently published Planning (Scotland) Bill. The Planning (Scotland) Bill was published...

December 14, 2017 In Client news By Message Matters

REFORM SCOTLAND: TAX RISE IS A MISTAKE, BUT ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MATURE DEBATE AND FRESH IDEAS

Think tank says income tax rise may end up raising less money, but welcomes the increasing maturity of debate around tax and spend Reform Scotland, the independent, non-party think tank, has said that the risks of the changes to income tax introduced in the Draft Scottish...

December 14, 2017 In Client news By Message Matters

SCDI responds to Scottish Government Draft Budget

The Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) has urged caution following the Scottish Government’s budget, warning that tax rises are not a panacea in developing a sustainable future economy for Scotland. Mark Bevan said: “This is a progressive, mature and significant use...

December 12, 2017 In Client news By Message Matters

Thousands of Scottish youngsters benefit from skills for work and life

More than 8,000 young people take part in Barclays’ LifeSkills education programme More than 8,000 school children from across Scotland have taken part in LifeSkills workshops with the support of the team from Business in the Community (BITC) Scotland and Barclays volunteers – with another 1,000...

December 5, 2017 In Client news By Message Matters

McLeish: Planning Bill’s a good start, but there is space to build on the ambition

The Scottish Alliance for People and Places welcomes progress in the Planning Bill and commends the Minister’s approach to engagement, but has said there is space to build on its ambition. The Chair of the Scottish Alliance for People and Places, and former First Minister of...

December 1, 2017 In Client news By Message Matters

21st anniversary programme announced for StAnza 2018

Core programme launched - StAnza 2018: Wednesday 7th to Sunday 11th March, 2018 StAnza, Scotland’s International Poetry Festival has announced an outstanding line-up of talent as it launches its core programme for the 21st anniversary event next March. Festival Director Eleanor Livingstone said: "We are thrilled to be launching the...