Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON In the Herald today: Calls are being made for an independent inquiry into Scottish Water amid soaring customer charges and eye-watering levels of executive pay and bonuses. Scotland’s largest trade union Unison is behind the demand after it commissioned an in-depth investigation into the company, which is publicly-owned, fearing is being privatised “by stealth”. From the Guardian in July 2025: Total remuneration at companies in England and Wales – many of them under scrutiny for sewage discharge – was £15m in 2024-25. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jul/26/water-chiefs-pay-rises-england-wales-ban-bonuses-sewage Leaving aside … Continue reading What the Herald won’t tell you about the obscene pay of English water bosses for water that causes sepsis and kidney failure

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON The Herald‘s top ferry correspondent today has the above and: Ministers are under pressure after Scotland was branded one of the worst countries in Europe for delivering a life-saving stroke treatment — leaving patients facing death or lifelong disability. ‘Damning’ analysis has revealed that fewer than 3% of Scots suffering a severe stroke receive thrombectomy, the emergency procedure that removes clots from the brain – the lowest rate available in Europe. Though with inside information after a TIA … Continue reading Scotland’s stroke survival rate is roughly the same as that in England and the EU average, better than that in the USA but worse than Ireland after independence

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2024 published yesterday: The Scottish fishing industry value in 2024 was £734 million. This is the highest value (adjusted to 2024 prices) of the last ten years. Scottish fishing vessels landed 532 thousand tonnes of sea fish and shellfish, the greatest tonnage of the last ten years. A summary of the headline numbers are: Scottish vessels landed 532 thousand tonnes of sea fish and shellfish in 2024. An increase of eight per cent compared … Continue reading Scottish fishing industry value is at highest value in the last ten years but still hampered by lack of control over £189m worth of landings abroad

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON Look at the massive generosity of the SNP Government’s grant subsidies per person , above, for those living the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland – around £4 to £6 000 per person more than the rest of us get but are they grateful, are they heck? Western Isles is Labour , Orkney and Shetland are Lib Dumbs. Of course, thanks to the ‘Scottish’ media, they don’t know. Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer … Continue reading SNP Government gives islanders around £5 000 each more than the rest of us in grant subsidies but are they grateful? Do they even know?

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From Wildlife Crime in Scotland 2024, published yesterday: Recorded wildlife crime offences fell for fourth year in a row to just over half the level from the peak in 2020/2021. Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/wildlife-crime-in-scotland-2024/ All things being equal, the rate last year might have been expected to be around 1 860 in England & Wales but was, in fact 4 819, pushing 3 times higher. Source: https://www.wcl.org.uk/docs/2025/WCL_Wildlife_Crime_2025_Executive_summary.pdf This is remarkable given Scotland’s large wild areas, rivers and coastal waters, popular with … Continue reading Wildlife crime plummets to half the level only four years ago in Scotland and to just over one third of that in England & Wales, per head, with 25% more police officers