DUP minister could intervene in legal action over Irish language signage at Grand Central Station
Gordon Lyons has indicated he considers the decision cuts across his departmental responsibilities
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has applied to give evidence in a case taken by loyalist activist Jamie Bryson over a decision to install dual language signage at Belfast's Grand Central Station.
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins announced in March that signage featuring both English and Irish was to be installed at the state-of-the-art transport hub at a cost of £150,000.
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Business News Wales
an hour ago
- Business News Wales
Offshore Wind Task and Finish Group Unveils Action Plan
A new comprehensive action plan has been published which aims to maximise Wales' offshore wind potential and secure long-term economic benefits. A task and finish group, established earlier this year, brought together the collective effort of sector leads across Wales, covering developers, ports, manufacturing and skills. Their aim was to identify what needs to be done in partnership with the Crown Estate, industry and social partners to secure lasting economic and social value to Wales. Wales has been at the forefront of offshore wind projects, hosting the first fixed offshore wind developments in North Wales. Currently Wales has a pipeline of more than 15 GW of offshore wind projects around its coastline, in Welsh, English and Irish waters. The Welsh Government said the sector represents a significant opportunity with the prospect of £4.8 billion for Welsh businesses and over 3,000 jobs. Announcing the new action plan during Wind Week, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said she wanted to 'drive forward the renewable energy revolution, ensuring that Wales remains at the forefront'. She said: 'Last week, we welcomed the announcement that offshore wind in the Celtic Sea was moving from planning into development and delivery. 'With two successful bidders announced to develop three gigawatts of clean energy, and a clear commitment from the Crown Estate to deliver the full 4.5GW, we see the start of billions of pounds of investment and thousands of jobs. 'All the evidence shows the strategic importance of local ports to the developers of offshore wind projects, and I am delighted the UK Government confirmed up to £80 million in the Spending Review to kickstart the investment in the port at Port Talbot. 'This truly is a once in a generation opportunity for our ports and will be a catalyst for economic regeneration in our coastal communities.' Coordinated by Tim Pick, former UK Offshore Wind Champion, the task and finish group has now set out key recommendations, including: Establishing a forum by autumn 2025 with project developers, government, and other key partners to enable better coordination between stakeholders, helping to maximise local benefits from new wind farms in the Celtic Sea. Streamlining the planning and consent process, reducing delays and providing developers with a clear roadmap of requirements through improved coordination between parties to significantly accelerate project timelines and reduce costs. Implementing targeted support for Welsh businesses to enter the offshore wind supply chain, with particular focus on connecting SMEs with larger companies to transform this untapped potential into actual business opportunities, particularly in areas of existing strength like project management and engineering. Coordinating skills development initiatives across educational institutions to address the sector-specific skills gap in areas like wind turbine technology and high-voltage electrical engineering so local communities can access the high-quality jobs created. Integrating the Welsh steel and concrete sectors with offshore wind development, particularly for floating offshore wind foundations and substructures Ajai Ahluwalia, Head of Supply Chain for RenewableUK, said: 'We are pleased to see clear, practical actions that respond directly to industry calls for greater certainty, stronger collaboration, and urgent delivery. 'Offshore wind is one of the UK's greatest industrial opportunities — with the potential to transform Wales' heartland sectors, like steel and advanced manufacturing. 'Over the next decade alone, £32 billion in economic value is at stake, including a £4.8 billion opportunity for Welsh businesses and 3,370 well-paid jobs. 'To unlock that value, we must now move swiftly from planning to implementation — and industry stands ready to work with government to make it happen.'
The Herald Scotland
3 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Proposal for expert summit on nuclear power in Scotland
Industry estimates suggest the power-producing life of closure-threatened Torness could continue for decades into the future and the proposals would mean secure jobs. It comes as new figures show 170 Scottish firms were contracted to work at one English nuclear site. There is also a proposal to convene an expert summit on nuclear power in Scotland. The plans and the plant owner's stance are revealed in the first part of our new series which is launched today with our sister title the East Lothian Courier. In a new collaboration, our team of journalists is creating a series looking at all sides of the contentious argument. READ MORE: The separation in policy between two governments is striking. We are looking at safety and the environment, and also examining whether there is a business case for new nuclear in Scotland. Tension between Holyrood and Westminster appears to be growing, with the UK Government pointing towards funding but adding that 'the Scottish Government continues to block any movement on this safe, green energy that would turbocharge the Scottish economy'. The Scottish Government is stranding firm and hailed research showing a potential 80,000 renewables jobs in Scotland within 25 years.
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Scotsman
Full impact of VAT on private school fees still to become apparent
UK education secretary Bridget Phillipson It has been a long hard road, and at times a bitter fight to prevent my old school from being ripped from the heart of the community I grew up in. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... So it was quite an emotional day for me to see for myself the fantastic facilities at the new Currie Community High School which should welcome its first pupils this autumn. Many of us thought it might be lost amidst council cost cutting, but the impressive swimming pool is there. It has a sports hall big enough for four badminton courts, and as it's a community facility, there is an extensive fitness suite with the latest weights equipment. But what's truly impressive is the sense of space, with high ceilings, glass-sided classrooms and spectacular views across to Fife. The place is a joy and I really hope the first intake can appreciate what it has taken to make sure their facilities are second to none. It's been built to meet future demand, with capacity for 200 more pupils than the first full intake, a lesson from other recently opened new schools like Boroughmuir and James Gillespie's which are already bursting at the seams. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad More problems loom after summer when the full impact of VAT on private school fees will be more apparent because the real problem is not families withdrawing their children but choosing not to go private in the first place. Instead of heading to Watson's and Heriot's, more children at schools like South Morningside and Sciennes primaries will claim state school places at Boroughmuir and Gillespie's than before, and it will be the same the year after that. Labour's education secretary Bridget Phillipson was rather early to crow that the number of children leaving private education because of her policy was lower than expected, because a recent census of English schools revealed there were 11,000 fewer private school pupils than this time last year, compared to her department's forecast of a drop of around 3000, and worse is to come. The Labour Government's calculation that VAT would boost education budgets by £1.8 billion is looking wildly optimistic. This year's English state school budget is nearly £64bn, and in Scotland just under £8bn, so if Labour's calculations are already out by a factor of four, it's reasonable to assume the total impact on education spending across the whole UK will be well under half a percentage point. If the Scottish Government does get a small windfall, there's no guarantee it will go to schools, and it will be swallowed by pay deals anyway. It does not matter if you are for or against private education, it's about the impact on all children. And if the claimed benefit for education budgets will be virtually zero, the impact on classrooms will be into negatives, exactly as predicted by those who understand the sector. Despite the high number of privately-educated children in his Edinburgh South constituency, Scotland Secretary Ian Murray, who I'm sure knows better, was on radio this week parroting the rubbish about extra cash for education. It was never about educational benefit, but Oxford-educated Bridget Phillipson's good old-fashioned socialist envy. I am very grateful for the education I received, but I've never felt anyone had an advantage over me because they went to a private school. And I'm an Edinburgh University graduate. Sue Webber is a Scottish Conservative MSP for Lothian
