The Queens award for Enterprise (International trade Category)

• Fourth Queen’s Award for Bridge of Weir Leather Company, following previous honours in 1985, 1996 and 2000
• Congratulated for export sales performance, technological development, increased global presence and environmental sustainability with its unique brand of Low Carbon Leather
• Total Bridge of Weir Leather Company sales increased by 150% during the three years to September 2011, and 90% of production exported

Bridge of Weir, Scotland, 21 April 2012 – Bridge of Weir Leather Company, for the fourth time in its illustrious history, has been recognised with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

The award, for international trade, was announced today, 21st of April – The Queen’s birthday, and the year Her Majesty celebrates the Diamond Jubilee (1952 – 2012). Bridge of Weir Leather Company will hold the honour for the next five years.

Hanson’s King’s Dyke nature reserve at Whittlesey near Peterborough took top honours in the biodiversity category at the 2012 sustain’ magazine awards.

The former clay quarry adjacent to the Hanson brick works has been developed into a community nature reserve over the last 17 years. More than 140 species of birds have been recorded on the site, including the marsh harrier and bittern, along with butterflies, dragonflies and various mammals, including water voles and otters.

Kings Dyke is particularly important for its invertebrates, with over 2,500 species recorded, one of which is thought to be new to the UK. The large numbers of ponds support more than 5,000 great crested newts, while common lizards, grass snakes and slow worms are also found in good numbers.

Ultra-long leases should no longer exist in Scotland according to a report published today by the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee. The Committee has supported the proposed restructuring of this aspect of land law in Scotland by recommending the general principles be agreed to of the Long Leases (Scotland) Bill. The Bill will now go forward for debate by the full Parliament.

The Bill is the same as the bill in the last session of Parliament, which, owing to lack of Parliamentary time, fell at the dissolution ahead of the 2011 election.

It seeks to convert ultra-long leases into ownership, unless the tenant choses to opt out. It follows work done by the Scottish Law Commission on its series of legislative reforms to Scotland’s property law.

Committee Convener Rob Gibson MSP said:

“Our Committee is recommending that Parliament supports the general principles of this Bill. Tenants’ rights under these ultra-long leases (which were let for 175 years and have more than 100 years left to run) are virtually the same as if they owned the properties in question, and this Bill will automatically convert them to ownership. The Bill allows for the landlords to be compensated when the properties convert.”

The Scottish Government estimates there are around 9,000 ultra-long leases in Scotland, most of which are for 999 years.

During the consideration of the Bill, questions around common good (a fund of money and assets owned and administered by each local authority in respect of each former burgh within the area of that local authority) were raised. Evidence was also received on the status of Edinburgh Waverley Market and also whether this site specifically could be exempted from the Bill

Environmentalists unite to condemn moves by George Osborne to help 'dying industry with no long-term prospects'

A £3bn tax break from the chancellor to help BP and others drill new deep wells in pristine waters off the north of Scotland was condemned as "absolutely shocking" by green campaigners.

They argued it was wrong to encourage operations in such a fragile environment after the BP blowout in the Gulf of Mexico two years ago – but oil chiefs hailed this and other fiscal changes as a "turning point" that would trigger £40bn of investment.