Latest news with #LaurenHurley
Scottish Sun
16-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Cobbler Timpson will face millions in losses after Chancellor's National Insurance tax raid
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) COBBLERS chain Timpson has warned it will face a multi-million-pound hit from the Chancellor's tax raid — just months after its boss quit to join the Government. The family-owned firm, known for its history of hiring former offenders, saw CEO James Timpson step down to become Prisons Minister in July to work on reforming jails. 2 Timpson has warned it will face a multi-million-pound hit from the Chancellor's tax raid Credit: Alamy 2 James Timpson stepped down as CEO to become Prisons Minister in July to work on reforming jails Credit: Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing St In the company's first set of accounts since the General Election, it says: 'His time in Government will be a loss to the business.' Timpson reported sales rose by 4.5 per cent last year to £347million, while profits jumped by 26 per cent to £48million. But the company said its record year would be difficult to match in the face of big increases in the minimum wage and 'a swinging increase in our contribution to National Insurance'. The firm, which already pays above the Living Wage rate, said it would face £12million of extra costs from Rachel Reeves' changes to NI. The admission is awkward given Lord Timpson's ministerial role. The Labour peer did not return a request for comment. Timpson is often held up as an example of a good employer. It has 17 holiday lodges for staff to take breaks, and it spent £711,000 last year on training recruits with a criminal record. Ex-offenders make up 12 per cent of its workforce. Accounts show it paid the Treasury £108.2million last year in VAT, employment taxes and business rates on its shops. Martin Lewis issues warning for 700,000 workers as National Insurance hikes have 'direct impact' on take home pay RIVAL DOC BID A TUSSLE for NHS doctor surgery landlord Assura has taken a fresh twist after healthcare investor Primary Health Properties made a £1.68billion offer yesterday. It is higher than the £1.61billion accepted from private equity firms KKR and Stonepeak Partners. Assura will consider the new offer. RICH TAX PUSH THE UK's richest are paying less tax than they should, a watchdog says. The National Audit Office said HMRC had earned £5.2billion from tackling 'non-compliance' from well-off taxpayers in 2023/24. That was more than £1billion higher than projections — confirming more avoidance than expected.
Scotsman
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Scottish Government brands 20% car reduction target 'unnecessary' and says it 'needs to drop' it
Audit Scotland had previously said Scotland was 'unlikely' to meet its ambitious car reduction targets. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, 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... The Scottish Government admits it 'needs to drop' its target to reduce car use by 20 per cent by 2030. Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop says the Scottish Government's target, which was set in December 2020, is now 'unachievable' and 'unnecessary'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This comes after Audit Scotland published a report at the start of the year stating Scotland is 'unlikely' to meet this target due to 'minimal progress' being made over the past five years. Cars parked on the road. PIC: Lauren Hurley/PA | Lauren Hurley/Press Association. During an appearance at Holyrood's audit committee, Ms Hyslop said: 'We need to drop it or change it. We still want to support car use reduction, but I think the figure of 20 per cent by 2030 is not realistic and needs to be changed. 'We are taking advice from the Climate Change Committee that will steer us, but that doesn't change our focus and drive to make a difference. But we will need to make it more realistic and more achievable. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We are in a different time than we were in December 2020, we are a different society.' Ms Hyslop later said the Government needed to show 'some realism and pragmatism'. However, she also branded the target 'unnecessary' as she said she believed the vehicle trading scheme and the switch to electric vehicles was 'doing far more than was anticipated to reduce emissions'. Fiona welcomed publication of the latest active travel report. The committee was also told urban areas like Edinburgh and Glasgow will need to 'punch above their weight' to offset slower reductions in car use in rural and island areas. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Audit Scotland's report said there had been a lack of leadership and 'no clear plan' for the Government to meet its car reduction targets. In its report, the public spending watchdog said: 'A lack of leadership has resulted in minimal progress against the demanding policy intention. It is not clear if the Scottish Government remains committed to the target as key documents remain in draft form. 'There is no costed delivery plan or measurable milestones, and arrangements for monitoring and scrutinising progress are insufficient.' The report also said that to achieve this target, car traffic levels would need to drop by 7.3 billion kilometres to 29.3bn. The last time car use was at this level was in 1994. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Transport Scotland says it will be investing £263 million on regional and local transport projects to encourage more people to abandon cars in favour of public and active transport. The Scottish Government declared a climate emergency in 2019 and set out new targets for reducing emissions by 2045. Interim targets were also set, including a 75 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
