Business News Round Up (09/03/2026)
First rise in permanent placements in more than two-and-a-half years in February
The latest KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs: North of England survey indicated a fresh rise in permanent staff recruitment in February, ending a more than two-and-a-half-year period of decline. While temporary billings decreased again, the rate of reduction was far softer than that seen at the start of 2026. Demand for staff in the North of England showed signs of recovery, as vacancies for both permanent and temporary roles increased for the first time since October 2024. Meanwhile, both starting salaries and temp pay increased at softer rates, as growth in labour supply remained elevated. Panellists linked the upturn to improved demand for staff, particularly in sectors such as technology, finance, construction and HR, as well as reduced constraints on hiring budgets. Although the rate of expansion was subdued by historical standards and only modest, it contrasted with declines across the other three monitored English regions.
Record investment year for government-backed initiative to support Scotland’s tech startups
Founders enrolled on a government-backed tech startup programme have raised a cumulative £257 million since launch in 2022, according to new figures. TechScaler – the Scottish Government’s flagship entrepreneurial programme – has seen a steady growth trajectory with increasing funding amounts in consecutive years according to the programme’s annual review. New data showed there are now more than 1,500 companies and 2,090 members engaged in the programme, which offers founders structured learning pathways, high‑quality mentorship and specialist insights of ‘Entrepreneurs in Residence’. Yesterday, First Minister John Swinney was in Dundee to join the launch of a new Techscaler outlet at Water’s Edge, which will welcome some of the city’s budding gaming companies among its first residents.
Business urged to take simple steps for smoother trade with the EU
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds set out how UK exporters and importers are expected to benefit from the new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement as the government negotiates to make trade with the UK’s biggest market and closest neighbour easier, cheaper and quicker. This will free British food and farming businesses from the mountains of paperwork, unnecessary delays and spiralling costs of current arrangements, cutting red tape, opening opportunities for growth for large and small importers and exporters across the country, and helping put British produce back on European tables. Since 2018, the value of exports of food and agricultural products to the EU have fallen by 22%, a drop of almost £4 billion in real terms. That’s meant lost profits, shrinking markets and, in the worst cases, businesses closing their doors.
“More must be done to create inclusive entrepreneurship” – BGF partner sets out advice for Northern female powered businesses
Women are starting businesses across the UK at an unprecedented level; however, more needs to be done to create inclusive entrepreneurship, according to BGF. In 2023 alone, 164,000 companies were founded by women, while almost half of early-stage entrepreneurs are female. The North of England is a hotspot for female founders, with the North East named as the most entrepreneurial region in the UK for women. However, BGF highlighted that, when businesses seek investment, the picture changes. In 2024, all-female founding teams received just 2% of equity funding, while all-male teams secured 80%. Ahead of International Women’s Day, Jill Williams, regional partner for North and Midlands at BGF, told Insider: “This funding gap is not just a challenge for female entrepreneurs – it limits the growth potential of the UK economy. Understanding why it persists and how women can successfully scale with the right support is crucial.”